Who is Joey Essex? What do we know about the Love Island star and who his Irish connection is?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, it won’t be news to you to find out that TV personality and UK celebrity Joey Essex has been spending the summer on TV screens with the hope of finding another flirty singleton to love in the sun. Fans have been divided by the shock revelation, with some arguing that Love Island is for non-celebs or ‘normal people’ while others have loved this recent shake-up and branded it iconic. The 33-year-old, who has been backed to win the series outright, admitted to the Sun that he had applied of his own accord and wasn’t approached by any members of the show’s production.

So, who is Joey Essex ? What do we know about the Villa’s VIP contestant, and what is his Irish connection? Joey Essex first hit our screens when he appeared on the reality television show The Only Way is Essex , better known as TOWIE, alongside his sister Frankie and four of his cousins, quickly becoming one of the show’s most popular characters. He became known for his catchphrase ‘ reem ’ – meaning ‘good’ or ‘cool’ – and for his sometimes-shocking lack of general knowledge. The star even released a song by the same name! Essex is the only son of ex-boxer Donny and his wife Tina, who sadly passed away when the TV star was just a boy after developing an infection called candida , which caused severe stomach problems and depression.

Tina succumbed to her symptoms when the Love Island contestant was only ten years old. In 2013, Essex and his sist.