Love Island star Elicia Bailey hit back at Priya’s job-shaming comments during Sunday’s show, with her clash with one couple leading to their dumping from the show.
In a tense dumping, all of the ex-islanders returned to the villa to decide which couple didn’t deserve a place in the final, with Elicia also given the chance to address Priya’s words about her after she’d left the show.
Priya was branded ‘vile, classist and tone deaf’ by ITV2 viewers for ‘job-shaming’ her co-star Elicia’s £30,000 National Rail role on Wednesday night’s show.
And Elicia was ready to defend herself as she headed back into the villa, saying: ‘There was a comment that was made publicly that was job-shaming myself.
‘I didn’t really agree with it, and Mica I saw that you laughed during that conversation.’
‘Priya said a few comments, which by the way, I absolutely worked my a**e off, and I’m proud of that, and I stand by that.’
Love Island star Elicia Bailey furiously it back at Priya’s job-shaming comments during Sunday’s show
Mica then apologised for laughing at Priya’s words, insisting she was laughing in disbelief at the comment rather than agreement.
Regardless, Elicia joined seven other Islanders voting that Mica and her partner Samraj were least deserving of a place in the final.
Mica and Samraj bid a tearful farewell to the villa, narrowly missing out on a place in the Love Island final, but in an explosive final twist, it wasn’t completely the end of their journey.
While packing their bags, the pair received a text message saying they had to choose one more couple to be dumped from the show before the final, before the episode ended on a dramatic cliffhanger.
Reflecting on her exit, Mica said: ‘We got a text in the morning saying that we were going to see some familiar faces.
‘Honestly, I was really excited to see everyone. I never had an issue with leaving and people voting us out. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinions.
‘As long as Samraj and I are good, we know what we have, I’m so obsessed and smitten with this man. I just feel so lucky that I have him while leaving as well.
‘I don’t think I’d be able to do this at all if I didn’t have him. He is so supportive and he’s been there for me throughout the entire journey.’
Samraj added: ‘Every time me and Mica stood up there, and we stood up there a few times, I’ve always fought for us because it wasn’t our time.
‘Now that we’re in love, she looked at me and said, ‘If we go, are you okay to go?’ I’m happy to go this time. This was the first time I was happy to go. What didn’t sit right with me was some of the justifications people were using.
‘People have mentioned friends-to-lovers as a reason. I don’t get that. If anything, you have more of a solid foundation.
‘I can’t wait to prove people wrong. In five years’ time, six years’ time, Mica’s got a big ring on her finger and she’s expecting – ”Oh, friends-to-lovers doesn’t work?” I can’t wait. Time will prove stuff.’
Priya sparked furious backlash from viewers when she was accused of ‘job-shaming’ Elicia by declaring she should ‘go back to National Rail’.
After she was dumped from the villa, Priya admitted that she’s ‘made mistakes’ and felt ‘humbled’ in the villa after being criticised by viewers for her comments.
Following their exit, Priya said: ‘It feels surreal. I’ve had the best time ever.
‘I’ve learned a lot, made mistakes, but also met the most amazing people ever. I feel very grateful for the experience. I’m really excited to catch up with my friends and family.’
When asked to describe the whole experience in one word, she replied: ‘I’d say humbling.
‘Extraordinarily humbling. I’m going to remain strong and just take everything in my stride.’
Aidan and Priya didn’t have the easiest of journeys in the villa as both of them failed to find a long-lasting connection.
Priya was branded ‘vile, classist and tone deaf’ by ITV2 viewers for ‘job-shaming’ her co-star Elicia’s £30,000 National Rail role on Wednesday night’s show
Elicia was ready to defend herself as she headed back into the villa alongside the other ex-islanders, saying she ‘worked her a**e off’ in her National Rail career
She also criticised Mica for laughing at Priya’s comments, and she apologised insisting her reaction came out of disbelief rather than agreement
Her exit from the villa comes just days after she faced backlash for ‘job shaming’ her co-star Elicia Bailey.
She was branded ‘vile, classist and tone deaf’ by ITV2 viewers for ‘job-shaming’ her co-star Elicia’s £30,000 National Rail role on Wednesday night’s show.
Hitting back after the comments, Elicia branded Priya ‘bitter’ following her ‘personal attack’ about her career.
Elicia revealed she was unimpressed by her comments, explaining on the Love Island Debrief programme that she thought remarking on her job was ‘crazy’.
Priya’s rant was a reaction to being shown a clip of Elicia on Aftersun calling her the ‘biggest game player’ on the show but Elicia has insisted it wasn’t personal.
Speaking to hosts Shakira Khan, Toni Laites and Yasmin Pettet, she explained that there was no ‘attack on Priya’s character’ and she was merely answering a question.
She said: ‘The comments that she made tonight, she said that I attacked her character, but I was asked a question on Aftersun.
‘I didn’t call them like begging them to get me on. Everybody goes on Aftersun.
‘I was asked a question, it wasn’t an attack on anyone’s personality, anyone’s character but the comments she made was a personal attack, like where I work.
‘That’s crazy, I’m the target. She also obviously hasn’t seen other interviews of other people saying the exact same thing, I’m the easy target tonight because I was there.
‘I’m really surprised by the bitter and jealous comment because her reacting the way she did seemed quite bitter – I called out what everyone else was thinking,’ Elicia divulged.
Priya, whose role could see her earn around £43,000 based on national averages, took aim at Elicia’s job as a team organiser on last night’s show, saying: ‘I don’t care what Elicia says. I don’t care. It’s cringy…
‘Go back to the National Rail. Elicia, you work for the National Rail, why are you f***ing sitting in Aftersun?… But just go back there and save your breath.’
Viewers took to X with outraged responses, with one fan writing: ”Go back to the national rail’ may seriously be one of the most disgusting things said on love island, get priya off now #loveislanduk #loveisland’.
She was seen launching her tangent after the ‘Graftie’ awards showed clips of Elicia talking about Priya and her union with Aidan Murphy.
During her rant, Aidan’s brother Kavan interjected by saying: ‘There’s nothing wrong with working for National Rail, alright?’ yet fellow Islanders Jasmine Müller and Mica Harris giggled at the remarks – leading to further backlash.
Reaction from various X users read: ‘Priya job shaming people and their jobs? What’s wrong with working on a railway?? What does Priya even do???… There’s absolutely nothing wrong with working on the railway…
‘Every honest job deserves respect, and judging someone’s career says more about the person doing the judging than the person earning a living…
‘Your profession doesn’t determine your worth… Damn she just messed up any potential brand deals with that comment… Railway workers literally keep Britain running and Priya’s job shaming them?? Girl what do YOU do Get a grip…
‘She’s so f***ed up for saying that… This is so out of pocket. Hardworking people are the backbone of society. Acting like a railway job is ‘cringy’ just shows how shallow Priya’s mindset is. No job that puts food on the table deserves disrespect!’
Jasmine and Mica were also referenced while Kavan was praised, with another user writing: ‘Mind you it was Kavan who pulled her up on that comment while Mica and Jasmine condoned it by laughing at the nasty comment.’
Priya’s partner Aidan later called her out on the comments, as he took her aside to underline the problems with mentioning Elicia’s job.
Further adding to her fury, Priya remarked: ‘She’s bitter, she can keep that sour taste in her mouth. Jealousy is a disease – get well soon.’
While she has not specified exactly what her job is, a job listing on UK train company Southeastern’s website for a team organiser describes Elicia’s day-to-day job.
The role is Monday to Friday with an average pay package of £30,000 per year and free rail travel. The job calls for a ‘high level of IT knowledge’, ‘excellent written and verbal skills’ and ‘general knowledge of the rail industry’.
The scandal comes a week after Love Island was hit with 533 Ofcom complaints.
Viewers of the ITV dating show have reported to the regulatory body about four episodes over the past week, following calls to complain over ‘women-hating’.
In Ofcom’s weekly report – in which any show garnering more than 50 complaints is reported – Love Island dominated with four episodes, while the only other shows were The Saturday Five, with 586 complaints, and Alex Armstrong Tonight, with 257.
Movie Night received a whopping 197 complaints, as predicted by viewers who alleged that Jasmine became a ‘target’.
Ringing in with 167 complaints was the boys’ return from Casa Amor, which saw Angelista Gunda and Jasmine devastated by Simba Kudyiwa and Kavan’s decisions.
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