Love Island fans distracted by Joey Essex's 'irritating' habit with ex Grace Jackson

Love Island viewers were left squirming in their seats on Monday 17 June as they picked up on Joey Essex's 'irritating' habit with his ex, Grace Jackson. The TOWIE star, 33, is currently coupled up with Samantha Kenny, but was chosen by his former flame Grace, 25, for a night in Casa Amor after she made her bombshell entrance last week.

Despite being in a couple with Samantha, Joey and model Grace, who reportedly dated for about a year after meeting in Ibiza, couldn't keep their hands or lips off each other during Sunday and Monday's episodes.

However, fans were left distracted by Joey's constant remarks about how much he had missed Grace's lips.

One viewer took to Twitter to express their annoyance, writing: "I've missed your lips JOEY ! ! ! #LoveIsland".

Another echoed the sentiment, tweeting: "Why does he keep saying I miss your lips #loveIsland". While another asked: "How many times is Joey going to say he missed her lips ? #LoveIsland".

Other fans also shared their frustration, with one tweeting: "me if i hear "i missed ur lips" from joey one more time #loveisland", and another adding: "I swear if joey says "I've missed your lips" on more time #loveIsland".

A different fan concluded: "Joey stop saying missed your lips it is so unbelievably cringe #loveIsland."

It looks like Love Island's Joey might have been in the loop about his ex Grace joining the villa as a bombaffle, stirring up quite the reaction from fans.

In what was branded an "unexpected" arrival by viewers, Joey appeared totally gobsmacked when Grace walked into the villa alongside two other bombshells in a recent episode.

While Joey played the surprised ex to perfection with the good old dropped-jaw reaction, he later came clean to his mates that he and Grace have history, causing ripples of drama, especially affecting his current pairing with Samantha.

Despite Islanders typically being kept in the dark about incoming bombshells, some eagle-eyed fans are suspecting Joey had the inside scoop.

Some reckon there were tell-tale signs Joey wasn't as shocked as he made out, pointing out the tension with Samantha and what they felt was some 'suspect' acting.

Over on social media platform X, people are chatting about how Joey's expression seemed to hint he knew Grace was set to shake things up, while others argued that Joey's reluctance to get close to any of the girls, Samantha included, was a giveaway.