Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rebecca Calderwood

Love Island's Jacques says he is 'becoming better version of himself' after 'bully' claims

Love Island star Jacques O'Neill has insisted he is "becoming a better version of himself" after being hit with "bullying" claims.

The 23-year-old was accused of bullying fellow contestants during his time on the ITV2 show, with Remi Lambert speaking out to share his negative experiences with the rugby player.

Furthermore, Jacques was seen mocking fellow Islander Tasha Ghouri in a video during the show's finale.

Both Tasha and her boyfriend Andrew Le Page later unfollowed him.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday, the star seemingly addressed his past drama in an uplifting post about "becoming better".

Jacques posted a snap of himself as he enjoyed a meal out in Manchester.

Love Island star Jacques O'Neill has insisted he is 'becoming better' (Instagram)

He captioned the shot: "Focused on becoming a better version of myself everyday."

Following the recent backlash, Jacques shared a statement on his Instagram story as he apologised over his behaviour.

In the statement, Gemma Owen's ex boyfriend also revealed he was in therapy and said "there is work that needs to be done on myself".

However, Jacques failed to mention Remi or Tasha in the post.

He wrote: "I just want to acknowledge the situation that's happening right now and apologise if my behaviour has caused offence or been misinterpreted over the last few weeks.

The former villa star shared a series of snaps on Instagram (Instagram)

"I genuinely have no bad feelings towards anyone and I've not meant for anything to come across that way at all. It was not my intention and I'm genuinely sorry if it has.

"Life has been very overwhelming recently and admittedly I've probably not handled myself in the best possible way.

"I take full responsibility for my actions. I'm aware I'm far from perfect and that there is work that needs to be done on myself."

Jacques then explained that he has now begun therapy as he wrote: "I had my first therapy session on Monday which really took me out of my comfort zone, I know I have needed this for years but it's only now I have decided to get help. I know it's a step in the right direction for me even after just 1 session.

"I'm not asking for sympathy, I just want to acknowledge the situation and move forward as positively as I can. However, I know this can be used as an important lesson for me moving forward and over the coming years. I hope I can become the person I want to be and use this new platform to spread a positive message."

Love Island fans were furious after Jacques seemingly mocked Tasha (Instagram)
Jacques previously released a statement over his actions (Instagram/ @jacques9oneill_)

He then ended his message with: "I'm sorry to anyone that I have let down X".

Jacques entered the villa as a bombshell and sparked a connection with Paige Thorne.

However, their relationship hit a rough patch after his head was turned in Casa Amor.

Since decided to quit the show, Jacques revealed he struggled with his mental health as he admitted he said he "couldn't cope" in the villa and added to The Sun: "Doing Love Island was the worst decision of my life."

He added: "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."

Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.