Love Island star Jake Cornish has revealed that the breakdown of his seven-year relationship with his ex-girlfriend drove him to apply for a spot on the hit ITV show.
The 24-year-old water engineer from Weston-super-Mare told the Mirror that following his split from his childhood sweetheart, he found himself incredibly lonely in lockdown.
Due to the fact that he couldn’t go out and meet new girls amid the pandemic, he upped the ante and signed himself up for the dating show in a bid to find true, lasting love.
Lifting the lid on his relationship breakdown, Jake told The Mirror: “We just fell out of love, to be honest.
“We were together for so long. But there is no bitterness, none of that.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t heartbroken when we broke up, but everything happens for a reason at the end of the day.
“I signed myself up for the show. I was in lockdown and I was lonely, I guess. I couldn’t just go out and meet girls so I thought now is the perfect time to apply for Love Island.”
Asked how he’d feel if his ex-girlfriend would appear on the show, Jake admitted that he’d be highly surprised if he saw his former flame entering the famous villa.
“It didn’t end sour of anything. But I don’t know if I could see it happening. She’s got a boyfriend now, so I wouldn’t like to think that could happen.
“I would be a bit worried really.”
Jake went on to lift the lid on whether or not he would ever get down and dirty with a fellow love interest while in the villa.
While a number of the newbies have insisted that there’s zero chance of them stripping off on-screen this season, Jake admitted that he wouldn’t ‘lose any sleep’ if he found himself in a steamy situation.
“I wouldn't beat around the bush, to be honest. Everything happens for a reason, so if it were to happen, I wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.
“It is what it is. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”
While some contestants enter the show hoping to leave with millions of Instagram followers, Jake has revealed that he’s appearing on the show in the hopes of finding true love.
The handsome hopeful is on the hunt for lasting love and a relationship like his mum and dads'.
Jake gushed: “When I’m with a girl, I treat her like the only girl in the world. I’m very old school when it comes to things like that.
“That’s how I’ve been brought up. I look at my mum and dad and they’ve been together since they were 16, and they’re still together now and they’re wicked. They dance in the kitchen and they sing together.
“That’s what I wanted, and that’s what I thought I was going to have in my last relationship but obviously, I’m here, so it didn’t work out that way,” he laughed.
Entering the Love Island villa will be Jake's first step to finding new love and a happy ever after.
While he’s had plenty of opportunity in the romance department over the last couple of months, Jake has his mind set on finding a girl with good morals and loyal nature.
“The main thing for me is having respect and having good fun, and someone who will be loyal to you.
“I’ve had messages from girls that have got boyfriends and husbands. This is why I don’t trust anyone. Someone who is loyal really.”
The new series is due to kick off on ITV2 tonight at 9pm.
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