Ex On The Beach fans will see two Love Island exes come face to face after their split.
The new series kicks off in style on MTV on Tuesday (March 19). Joining this year’s cast are a variety of well known faces from the likes of Love Island, TOWIE and Married At First Sight Australia.
Ahead of the first episode, two of its stars have opened up on their “awkward” reunion, just months after going their separate ways, having been together for three years previously. After being crowned winners Love Island’s winter series in 2020, the relationship between Paige Turley and Finley Tapp went from strength-to-strength as the UK was plunged into lockdown and they moved in together with Paige’s family.
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Following the pandemic, the then-loved-up pair splashed out on a three-bedroom apartment in Manchester, with Finn soon admitting he would propose “within the next two years or so”. However, things ultimately didn’t go to plan, with Paige admitting to Maya Jama on Aftersun in 2023: “We are still really good friends, it was just we drifted apart. Every struggle we could ever face, we were faced with.”
(Image: Instagram)
Now, in an exclusive chat with the Daily Star, the former couple have discussed their past relationship and their emotions as they went looking for love again in Gran Canaria.
Although we’re yet to learn how things pan out, what’s striking is the pair’s declaration that they thoroughly enjoyed taking part – that awkwardness aside. “It was really good – an emotional experience, almost like a rollercoaster with so many people, never mind just an ex,” enthused Paige. “I look back at it fondly now – I laughed so much in the villa and we had a great time in the sun.”
Finn, 24, revealed that seeing Paige emerge from the waves gave him a similar feeling to the first time he laid eyes on her and admitted he tried to hide his fears from the show’s cameras. “It was weird because obviously we hadn’t seen each other for a while and I think I was expecting to play it a lot cooler than I did,” he confessed.
(Image: ITV/REX)
“I haven’t watched it back yet so I’m not sure how it comes across, but it was definitely nerve-racking. Although I’d been with her for so long, it felt like I was meeting her again.”
Although 26-year old Paige appeared to be more cool a the prospect of being around each other again, she couldn’t help but admit doing so made for an “awkward” experience. “It is awkward and its not particularly a big villa so its kind of like ‘Where do you place yourself?” she said.
“I was kind of lucky because I was in a good place, but no matter how good that place is, it’s still awkward if you’re sat upstairs and you look down and see him [Finley] there.”
Despite that – and despite fully expecting her ex to be a part of the show too – Paige said she still felt overwhelmed at times. “It was difficult to meet him like that in front of everybody. It’s an emotional experience anyway, but then you know you’ve got to be around each other in a villa full of people too,” she explained.
“It’s quite an overwhelming experience as it is. He’d been there for a day or two before me so I wasn’t sure what other relationships might have developed. But I got there and all eyes were on me and I was like, so…”
Finn suggested things didn’t pan out quite as he had hoped, but despite that he claims to have enjoyed his time on the show more than Love Island – which saw him and Paige pocket £50,000 in prize money.
“The whole filming, the crew and everything – I love Ex on the Beach,” he gushed. “Don’t get me wrong, I had a great time on Love Island and my experience was very good. But I look back on Ex on the Beach and think it was absolutely brilliant.
“I had so much fun. It’s more chilled – although your ex being in there isn’t chilled – but there was a nice atmosphere to it. It was just a laugh. I had a laugh – and then I came home!”
Ex on the Beach airs every Tuesday on MTV at 10pm.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
