As the first celebrity competitor on Love Island, Joey Essex created history on Monday night. Now, the former TOWIE star’s fee has been “revealed.”
Throughout his career, the 33-year-old reality star has competed in a variety of series, such as Dancing on Ice, Celebs Go Dating, and I’m A Celebrity. Take Me Out of Here. However, Joey is currently working on Love Island, for which he supposedly gets paid the same as his co-stars.
The Mail Online claims that Joey is receiving the same amount of money from ITV as other contestants—£375, which is Joey’s weekly salary—for participating in the show. The sum is intended to pay the participants’ domestic rent and expenses while they are participating in the show.
“Joey is being treated like any other Love Island contestant, he’s playing by the same rules and won’t be given any preferential treatment,” a source told the tabloid. He has not received a single penny in compensation for signing up for the show, not even an appearance fee.
“Exposure is everything on Love Island, but Joey gets more out of it than that. It’s not about the money he can make on the other side; he’s seeking for a life partner.” Alright! has contacted ITV to request a statement.
Joey arrived as the first bombshell of the series on Monday night, which caught Love Island watchers off guard. Speaking about his signing up for the event before he made his entry, Joey disclosed the true motivation behind it.
“All I want is for someone to enjoy me for who I am and what they see on TV right now. You can focus on what truly matters on a far deeper level when you’re cut off from the outside world, which is precisely why I’m heading inside the villa.”
He stated to The Sun, “My major goal and everything I care about is to walk out of the villa hand in hand with the love of my life. I’m extremely single right now. I believe this experience would enable people to see the real me, as I find it difficult to meet girls on the outside because they perceive me based on a persona.”
