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Love Island season 11 is well underway — and naturally, there have been a few dramatic twists in the season already. One of the biggest shocks came in the form of bombshell Grace Jackson, who entered the villa in episode 12. Her arrival sent shockwaves through the villa when Joey Essex revealed that he and Grace had previously had a “holiday fling”.
So, who is Love Island 2024's Grace Jackson? And just how well does she know Joey?
Who is Grace Jackson?
Grace is a 25-year-old model from Manchester who also co-owns a social media marketing agency.
As she explained in an interview before stepping into the villa, she's fiercely independent and leads a busy lifestyle. “I like to go out and go abroad a lot,” she said. “They can't keep up with my lifestyle! It's the life that I want, and it helps with my business.” Grace frequently shares snaps from her jet-setting lifestyle on Instagram.
However, she's tired of being single. “To sit in and be single, I can't understand why I would do that in my peak and my mid-20s,” she added.
How does Grace know Joey Essex?
As soon as Grace joined the show, it became clear that she and Joey had a past. As she walked in, Joey turned to the boys and said he “used to see that girl." We then learned that Joey and Grace had met on holiday last year where they had a holiday romance — apparently, they were in contact just a couple of months ago.
Although they were never officially together, it sounds as though they had a strong connection. In a later conversation, the pair revealed that their relationship hadn't worked out because Joey was in Essex and Grace was in Manchester.
Get to know the islanders you'll likely spend the majority of your time with this summer.
What has happened with Grace on Love Island so far?
Grace's arrival in the villa shook things up for Joey. Although he had been coupled up with Samantha since day one, it soon became pretty clear that he was interested in rekindling things with Grace. The pair kissed during a beer pong challenge and, the next day, Grace selected Joey for a night away from the villa. While they were there, the pair kissed multiple times.
A producer on the show later told The Sun that things got very intimate while they were out of the main villa. “Joey and Grace can’t keep their hands off each other, it’s the most chemistry we’ve seen on Love Island for years," they said. “After facing Samantha, Joey took Grace straight into The Hideaway so they could continue their alone time. They were hands-on in the Casa Amor villa despite being with four other Islanders, so obviously they could really go for it in the privacy of The Hideaway."
