ITV Love Island's Jacques O'Neill sends message after first TV appearance as he reunites with his islander 'bestie'

Love Island star Jacques O'Neill has shared a message with his thousands of newfound followers following his first TV appearance since leaving the villa. The rugby player exited the ITV2 dating show in emotional scenes aired last week, saying he needed to "get back to himself".

His decision to leave came amid the fallout from the show's annual relationship test Casa Amor. Viewers were in the midst of watching Jacques try and win back Paige Thorne's affections following the most dramatic recoupling yet but it all become too much for the 23-year-old who has since revealed that he was left 'mentally drained' by the experience.

He told The Sun in his first interview that he 'couldn’t cope' on the show, which pairs-up singles in the sunshine with the winning couple scooping £50,000, and said: "Doing Love Island was the worst decision of my life."

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On Sunday night (July 17) Jacques joined some of the show's dumped islander on Love Island spin-off Aftersun where he spoke to the programme's host Laura Whitmore. "I needed it, I needed to see the rugby boys and my mum," he told the Irish TV star in his first TV appearance. "It got way too much for me in there, it was one of those situations where I didn't want to be there anymore."

Prior to his appearance on Aftersun, Love Island viewers saw Paige and returning bombshell Adam Collard share their first kiss since coupling up. Speaking of Paige, Jacques said to Laura: "I said to my mum before I went in there that I just wanted to be myself in my next relationship. Literally, I told her everything about me, I wanted a girl to like me for who I am. I