Featured Image Credit: ITV/Channel 4
Topics: TV And Film, Celebs Go Dating, Love Island, ITV, Channel 4
Gregory Robinson
Topics: TV And Film, Celebs Go Dating, Love Island, ITV, Channel 4
Jacques O'Neill has rebuffed reports he turned down an offer to appear on E4's hit dating series Celebs Go Dating.
The former Love Island contestant left the villa this month for mental health reasons. His surprise departure came hours after the return of 2018 bombshell Adam Collard who set his sights on Jacques' partner, Paige Thorne.
Jacques attempted to fix his relationship with Paige after his questionable behaviour in Casa Amor was exposed, but after many emotional conversations, the former professional rugby player decided to leave the villa on 12 July.
According to a report by The Sun, the 23-year-old was offered the chance to find love on Celebs Go Dating with a huge £60,000 pay cheque, however, this isn't the case.
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In a statement to Tyla, representatives for Jacques confirmed he had not been approached to appear on Celebs Go Dating, and any talk of huge fees to go on the show is just speculation at the moment.
Instead, Jacques plans to wait for Paige, who is now coupled up with Adam, as well as admitting he needs to 'work on himself'.
The publication quoted an unnamed source who said that E4 executives think experts Anna Williamson and Paul Brunson could help guide Jacques on his post-Love Island journey.
“An Islander always makes for a great signing and Jacques is a real stand-out, particularly because he’s already shown that he’s willing to put the work in and really change," the source said.
“That’ll make him a really credible candidate for the agency’s help, never mind be someone that fans would tune in for.
"But Jacques wants to wait for Paige so it may well be too late by the time she emerges.”
Tyla has approached representatives for Jacques and Channel 4 for comment.
In the days following Jacques' decision to leave the hugely popular ITV2 dating series, he has since said that going on Love Island was the 'worst decision of his life'.
Jacques said to The Sun: “Doing Love Island was the worst decision of my life. I was ready to break down.
“I was feeling so mentally drained, I just wanted to go home and get myself right. It broke me and I was already broken. I was crying my eyes out. I couldn’t cope.
“I was literally feeling awful. It was the worst I’d ever felt in my life.”
Jacques, who was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) when he was nine, added: "I watched the Casa Amor episodes to torture myself and look at my actions. I was disgusted in myself, I understand the hate. I’m feeling quite numb.
“I will wait for Paige on the outside, but I’m not watching the show again, I can’t do it.”
Love Island continues tonight at 9:00pm on ITV2 and ITVHub