After an awkward challenge, Joey Essex might have caught the “ick” for Samantha Kenny on Love Island. Fans speculate that Joey’s discomfort during the racy “On Job” challenge indicates a sudden loss of interest. The dynamic between Joey and Samantha, intensified by her fangirl enthusiasm, has viewers eagerly anticipating future episodes.
Love Island Drama Heats Up As Fan Favorite Couple Hits Rocky Road
Reality TV fans are buzzing about the latest drama on the hit British dating show Love Island. In a recent episode, viewers couldn’t help but notice major “ick” vibes between islanders Joey Essex and Samantha Kenny after a particularly spicy challenge.
For those unfamiliar with Love Island lingo, “catching the ick” refers to suddenly losing romantic interest in someone you were previously attracted to. And many eagle-eyed fans are convinced that’s exactly what happened to Joey, 33, when it came to his partner Samantha, 26.
The Writing Was On The Villa Walls During Racy Challenge
The pivotal moment came during the infamous “On Job” challenge in Tuesday’s episode of Love Island. The risque game required couples to recreate sexual positions in front of the entire villa. When it was Joey and Samantha’s turn, the dental nurse enthusiastically selected her man to join her in the wheelbarrow pose.
However, Joey appeared deeply uncomfortable as he admitted in the private beach hut: “I didn’t know where to put my hands.” His visible awkwardness set tongues wagging among fans who felt the former TOWIE star had developed a severe case of the ick towards Samantha.
Fueling The Fire: Samantha’s Super Fangirl Energy May Be Too Much
Part of what makes their dynamic so fascinating is that Samantha has been open about her long-time fangirl crush on Joey from his reality TV days. Fellow islander Ciaran Davies even joked: “Samantha, I can’t lie – I feel like you know more about Joey than Joey knows about himself.”
While Samantha played it off, saying, “I was just a big TOWIE fan. Leave me alone!” Many Love Island fanatics couldn’t help but wonder if her superfan admiration was now rubbing Joey the wrong way.
Fans Go Wild Speculating About Ick Outbreak on Social Media
The Love Island fandom went wild over the possibility of Joey catching the ick on platforms like X (formerly Twitter). Viewers didn’t hold back their hot takes, with comments like:
“You can tell Samantha is giving Joey the ick.”
- “Joey cannot even hide the ick he caught from finding out Samantha is a fan.”
- “You can really see Joey is starting to go off, Samantha.”
- Others were even more blunt, speculating, “Joey didn’t want to touch her” and “Joey does not want to do anything with Samantha.”
One viewer said, “Lol, Joey doesn’t like this Samantha babe! At all.”
Some fans believe the ick factor could drive Joey to stray once Casa Amor arrives, with one writing: “He does not like being around Samantha, and he is only ever happy when he is causing chaos or giving awful advice. I can’t wait for Casa to open.”
Only Time Will Tell If This Love Island Romance Is Over
Of course, these are all just fan theories for now. We’ll have to keep tuning into Love Island weeknights at 9 p.m. on ITV2 and streaming on ITVX to see if Joey and Samantha can rekindle their spark or if the ick situation between these two islanders is truly unfixable.
One thing’s for sure – the Love Island drama is just heating up! Fans across the pond will be glued to their screens to see how this iconic reality romance plays out.
