Entertainment

Love Island’s Craig Lawson insists his feelings for Camilla Thurlow were real

His intentions were called into question on the reality show.
His intentions were called into question on the reality show. His intentions were called into question on the reality show.

Love Island star Craig Lawson has insisted he had “good intentions” with Camilla Thurlow and does not regret the way he tried to woo her on the show.

He was one of four islanders evicted from the competition in a shock dumping on Tuesday’s episode.

After the public voted for their favourite contestants, the two with the least votes, Nathan Joseph and Chyna Ellis, were axed from island.

Then the two most popular hopefuls looking for love chose who else from the bottom of the pack would also get the boot.

Popular girl Montana Brown chose Lawson for the chop, while popular boy Marcel Somerville chose Danielle Sellers to leave.

Lawson’s axing followed speculation in the villa and on social media that his intentions with Thurlow were not entirely genuine.

This was revealed to him in a challenge on Tuesday’s episode, when he learned some people felt he was being disingenuous.

He told the Press Association: “I was ready to leave, after the challenge I felt it was right for me to go if people thought I was being dishonest about how I felt. That got to me a bit.

“I know my feelings were real so I was a bit shocked. ”

Lawson entered the villa and pursued Thurlow shortly after she was dumped by contestant Jonny Mitchell but their romance was short lived after Thurlow realised she was still hurt about her former flame.

He said: “I do wear my heart on my sleeve and I felt for Camilla the way the nation does. It hurt me watching her and Jonny.

“I went in with good intentions to make her smile and get her confidence up. My feelings were real. When I went in I had 48 hours to get my feelings across. I had to put my feelings on the line.”

He continued: “If people doubted me that says more about their characters than mine.

“If I had played it cool she wouldn’t have had a good time and wouldn’t have opened up.

“I  know I can be a bit of a full on character, if I see something I’m interested in, I throw myself into it.”

The show has continued its display of strength in audience numbers as Monday’s episode ended in several steamy encounters.

The ITV2 dating programme, which has become one of the year’s surprise TV hits, scored an average of 1.8 million viewers, with a peak of 2 million according to overnight ratings.

The episode saw three of the couples seemingly have intercourse under the bedsheets in the dark, including Brown and her new partner Alex Beattie after going to the villa’s secret Hideaway for the night.

Love Island
Love Island (ITV)
Montana Brown (ITV)

Also indulging in some romantic action were reunited couple Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies, on the sofa in the living room just several feet away from sleeping Mitchell and his new partner Tyla Carr.

Love Island continues on ITV2.