Joey Essex 'bans' Love Island co-stars from mentioning Towie

Joey Essex has reportedly put a ban on his fellow Love Island stars, after they quoted The Only Way Is Essex a little too much.

Joey, 33, hit the spotlight on the reality programme back in 2011, and over the 13 years that followed appeared on numerous others, from I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here to Dancing On Ice.

But the ‘King of Essex’ doesn’t want to be reminded of his first brush with fame, it seems.

After being dumped from the villa, islander Patsy Field revealed Joey banned his co-stars from mentioning Towie.

She said: ‘Everyone was quoting TOWIE. All of the girls were quoting TOWIE.

‘Joey put us on a TOWIE quote ban at one point and said, “We’re going to need to drop it now.”‘

Chatting to Closer, she went on: ‘But we couldn’t help it and we said, “We’re not actually quoting TOWIE, we’re just quoting The GC.” She is a living legend, so can you blame us really?’

Earlier this month, Joey stunned viewers when he became the dating show’s first celebrity bombshell.

Joey Essex — Joey first hit fame on Towie in 2011 (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)

The islanders couldn’t help but quote the iconic Gemma Collins (Picture: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)

And while it’s since been reported that there may be trouble at home, Joey is determined to find love, despite what fans think.

‘I’m extremely single right now, so I’m praying that I’m going to walk out of the villa hand in hand with the love of my life, that’s my main aim and all I care about,’ he said.

‘It’s difficult for me to meet girls on the outside as they judge me based on a persona so I think this experience will allow for people to see the real me.’

He added: ‘I just want someone to like me for me and now from what they see on TV.

‘This is exactly why I’m going into the Villa because you’re disconnected from the rest of the world and can focus on what actually matters on a far deeper level.’

Joey Essex on Dancing On Ice — Earlier this year, he was on Dancing On Ice (Picture: Mike Marsland/WireImage)

An insider told MailOnline: ‘Joey is being treated like any other Love Island contestant, he’s playing by the same rules and won’t be given any preferential treatment.

‘He hasn’t been paid an appearance fee or any money at all for signing up for the show, not a penny.

‘On Love Island, it is all about the exposure and for Joey, it means more than that, too. He’s looking for someone to settle down with.’