Love Island's eliminated contestant Joe Garratt has said he has "nothing to be sorry for" following viewer concern and complaints about alleged controlling behaviour towards fellow islander Lucie Donlan.
Joe was voted off the show this week, leaving partner Lucie "gutted".
The 22-year-old has now commented for the first time about the allegations he behaved in a possessive manner towards Lucie, particularly when criticising her for being friends with Tommy Fury, saying: "I'm not happy with it. It's strange. I think it's time for you to get close with the girls."
Joe told The Sun Online: "I have nothing to be sorry for. I didn't manipulate or abuse her. I am gutted that it has been perceived in that way because it wasn’t like that at all.
"I always had Lucie's best interests at heart and I promise you I would do everything and anything to help her because she had a hard time in there and didn’t get on with the girls.
"I was trying to help her and make her experience as amazing as possible. I thought I did right."
He added: "I am not going to say sorry. I may have worded things wrong and the cameras are on you 24/7. I may have slipped up a bit but I am only human.
"I am young and inexperienced so maybe some things have come out differently to what they are. I just hope people can see me for who I genuinely am and what I genuinely am. I am not that person."
Garrett said he hopes to build a future with Lucie when she leaves the villa.
"I will always support Lucie, I had such a good time with her in there", he said.
"I would love to think she can have experience in there and then we can have a future when she comes out. That is the dream.
"I would have found it really hard without her in there so I would have left but I spoke to her and she is there for an experience as well.
"As I said, I will wait and hopefully we can reunite when she comes out. I don't want her to quit."
Love Island continues on Virgin Media Two and ITV2.
