“I was literally feeling awful. It was the worst I’d ever felt in my life.”
In his first interview since leaving Love Island, Jacques O’Neill has said that going on the show was the “worst decision” he has ever made.
The 23-year-old rugby player left the show last week, claiming that he couldn’t feel like himself in the villa.
He told 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.”
He continued: “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 left the villa after making amends with Paige Thorne following Casa Amor week. The arrival of Adam Collard and his interest in Paige also appeared to be a factor in his leaving.
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He told the publication that he was worried if he stayed in the villa any longer, things “could get physical”.
Jacques also explained that he understands how he spoke to Paige was “wrong”.
“I know the way I spoke to Paige was wrong,” he said. “I tried to apologise and she kept asking why I did it.”
He also spoke about how he struggled with his ADHD in the villa.
“Any little thing in the villa, in the end, started bothering me and I was getting in so much of a rut,” he said.
When he announced that he was leaving the show, Jacques told Paige that he was “finding it hard” to put on a brave face.
He later told his fellow islanders: “I can’t stick around and not be myself. It’s not fair on me, and it’s not fair on Paige.”
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on Virgin Media Two and on the Virgin Media Player.
