TV fans are ‘screaming’ over Joey Essex’s Netflix cameo after Love Island backlash

Joey Essex has surprised viewers by popping up on one of Netflix’s most popular shows.

The reality star has brought his £10million fortune to the glamorous world of Selling Sunset.

After receiving Ofcom complaints about his appearance on Love Island, he’s now popped up on the Los Angeles-based show, which was recorded before the ITV dating show.

Joey has amassed his enormous net worth partly due to real estate investments, so making a show all about buying and selling houses is a natural next step for him.

He initially ‘bumped’ into the cast while they are getting lunch at a restaurant (at the start of episode four if you’d like to skip right there), with realtor Amanza Smith calling Joey and his friend, boxer Conor Benn ‘cute’. Chelsea Lazkani excitedly greeted the pair and informed her colleagues that she knew who they were.

The cameos have amused some subscribers who tuned into the eighth season.

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Taking to X, Ysnzhsh wrote: ‘Lmao why am I seeing Joey Essex on selling sunset.’

‘Joey Essex is just conquering reality TV shows. Wdym you’re on Selling Sunset? Ariana what are you doing here??’ joked KitaKartel.

‘WHY IS JOEY ESSEX ON SELLING SUNSET AHAHA WHAT’ asked a perplexed Emmaleighhxxx.

‘Genuinely screamed when Joey Essex popped up on selling sunset. Jumpscare!!!’ said HW.

Joey first found fame on The Only Way is Essex and his cousin/former co-star Chloe Sims, previously teased his LA venture.

Chloe, who has been living in Los Angeles for the past 18 months, confirmed the rumors about Joey’s involvement with Selling Sunset in a recent interview with OK! Magazine.

‘He stayed with me in LA for six weeks while he filmed,’ Chloe said.

‘He took Maddie’s room while she was out of town and made himself comfortable! I loved having him – it was good to have quality time with him,’ she continued.

Joey’s introduction to Selling Sunset came through Chloe, who introduced him to Chelsea, one of the real estate agents featured on the show.

Chelsea, who joined the series in its fifth season, moved to the United States from the UK after meeting her former partner Jeff Lazkani in 2015.

While Chloe was aware of Joey’s involvement in Selling Sunset, she was as surprised as the rest of us to learn about his participation in this summer’s Love Island.

‘I was completely shocked!’ Chloe told the magazine. ‘Then I realized his agent had actually reached out and sent me a text pre-written by Joey. I was absolutely fuming because I thought, “I can’t watch this in the US,” and I really want to watch because he’s there, and because I love Love Island!’

Joey stirred up plenty of controversy with his antics on the reality show, including telling his ex to ‘shut your mouth’ during a moment of conflict.

Joey first coupled up with make-up artist Samantha Kenny, but the arrival of his ex-girlfriend Grace Jackson quickly sent that romance up in flames, before he eventually chose Jessy Potts, who he has continued to date.

In one episode, the contestants gathered to watch playback clips from the series, which included plenty of problematic moments from Joey.

‘We both knew you were saying one thing to one of us and the same to the other,’ Grace said to him in the midst of the film night.

They then shared some tense words that culminated in Joey telling her: ‘Shut your mouth.’

Although she hadn’t participated in the argument, Jessy stepped in and made it clear she wasn’t happy with what he said.

Many viewers found the exchange upsetting, and it seemed almost universally agreed that Joey was at fault.

But Chloe’s take on her cousin’s behaviour was pretty measured when asked about it, saying: ‘Well, I think we know why he’s single! I know how much he wants to settle down and he’s definitely looking for love, but I think he thinks, “the grass is always greener.”‘

Joey and Jessy were dumped from the island after their former co-stars were brought back to select one couple to go home in one of the most brutal evictions. Despite the backlash to some of his villa choices, Joey said he had ‘no regrets’.

Selling Sunset is available to watch on Netflix now.

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