Love Island’s Liam Llewellyn admits he couldn’t handle ‘not being in control’ and defends Luca Bish amid ‘unjustified edits’-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

Liam claimed he ‘couldn’t be himself’ on the show (Picture: REX)

Love Island star Liam Llewellyn has spoken out since exiting the villa, after only six days on the reality dating programme.

The 23-year-old Welsh student was the first to leave this series, telling his fellow islanders: ‘I don’t really think I’ve been giving 100 per cent Liam; I’m miles off that.’

Now, Liam has admitted that he couldn’t deal with ‘not being in control’ while on the show, and has defended his co-star Luca Bish, saying that the show’s edits have shown him in a negative light.

Liam revealed: ‘I thought I was going to have the summer that everyone dreams of but now I’m living with no regrets, I took a chance but I realised I can’t live on TV.

‘I was expected to do things for a TV show and I couldn’t be myself. I didn’t want to do it. It is a TV show and it is produced. It’s not all natural.’

Liam quit the villa after just six days (Picture: ITV)

He added to MailOnline: ‘In my head I was not in the right position to take part in a TV show because that’s what you’re doing. You have to go on dates, do challenges, and you’re not in control of any of it.’

Liam, who was coupled up with Michael Owen’s daughter Gemma during the first week this series, claimed that he was asked ‘to repeat things’ during dates.

Liam was coupled up with Michael Owen’s daughter Gemma at the start of the series (Picture: ITV)

He added that during dates, the camera layout, which involved ‘a team of 12-15’, is ‘a proper set’.

Liam also claimed that the way 23-year-old Luca is coming across ‘isn’t justified’.

Viewers have been slamming Luca’s treatment of Gemma, with Women’s Aid even releasing a statement against misogynist behaviour on the show this year.

Viewers have been slamming Luca’s treatment of Gemma (Picture: ITV)

Liam, however, believes Luca has been edited to appear like a villain and cause drama for viewers at home to watch.

He explained: ‘I know Luca and what he’s really like and it’s nothing like as he’s coming across.

‘All of a sudden, the edit he’s getting isn’t quite justified. It is hard for me to sit here and watch that while the viewers are forming opinions whereas if you spent 10 minutes with him that would change.’

He continued: ‘You’re seeing such a small segment,’ adding that ‘they have to make drama and turn something that’s small into something big.’

Following Liam’s claims, an ITV spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: ‘As anyone who watches the show regularly would know, Love Island is a combination of reality and produced elements that are reflective of what’s happening in the villa, and is a fair and accurate representation of villa life.

‘We have always been completely transparent about this and the way the show is made. This is often acknowledged in the voice over by Iain Stirling.

Comedian Iain Stirling narrates the show (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

‘The opinions they have and the relationships formed are completely within the control of the Islanders themselves.

‘As we have said since series one, Love Island is a combination of reality and produced elements.’

Liam slammed the show’s edits for making Luca look like a villain (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Following backlash over not only how Luca treated Gemma but how several of the other islanders were treating their partners in the villa, including Dami Hope slamming Summer Botwe and Jacques O’Neill’s attitude to Paige Thorne before he exited the villa, charity Women’s Aid confirmed it is in discussions with ITV about their duty of care regarding relationships.

Dami Hope was slammed for his treatment of Casa Amor bombshell Summer Botwe (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Jacques quit the villa after getting to know Paige, despite viewers criticising his attitude (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Teresa Parker, head of communications and media relations at Women’s Aid, told Metro.co.uk: ‘At Women’s Aid we are being tagged into a stream of Twitter posts, with viewers of Love Island highlighting the misogyny and controlling behaviour being shown on screen. 

‘This is clearly more than talking about any individual contestants, and a programme based around the formation of romantic relationships must have guidelines on what behaviour is acceptable and unacceptable in those relationships.

‘We are talking to ITV, and they have shared with us information on their inclusion training, but what appears to be missing is specific information on abusive relationships and an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships.’

It’s not the first time Women’s Aid has spoken out about Love Island this series, as the charity previously issued a warning after it was announced controversial contestant Adam Collard was returning to the villa.  

Adam Collard returned to Love Island this year, and seems to have won over Paige Thorne (Picture: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

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Adam, 26, first appeared on Love Island in 2018 and was accused of gaslighting several women on his series, however, this year he seems to have won Paige’s heart, with the paramedic claiming their final date in last night’s episode was her ‘best ever’.

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.

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