Love Island’s Joe Garratt says it’s his ‘dream’ to have a future with Lucie Donlan and her mum is supporting him
AXED Love Island star Joe Garratt has said it's his "dream" to build a future with Lucie Donlan - saying he has even gained her mum's blessing.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online, the 22-year-old sandwich man vowed to visit the Cornish surfer's family to explain himself in the wake of abuse allegations against him.
He believes that he will be able to continue his relationship with 21-year-old Lucie when she leaves the villa and he intends to wait for her.
Joe said: “I will always support Lucie, I had such a good time with her in there.
“I would love to think she can have experience in there and then we can have a future when she comes out. That is the dream.
“I would have found it really hard without her in there so I would have left but I spoke to her and she is there for an experience as well.
"As I said, I will wait and hopefully we can reunite when she comes out. I don’t want her to quit.”
However, since leaving the villa Joe has learnt that Lucie’s mum has reached out to his family – telling them they are “heartbroken” the couple have been split up.
Joe is now planning to sit down with them and explain everything.
“I just hope that they can see who I really am,” he said. “After I speak to them I am sure they will understand.”
Joe last night defended himself against allegations he "bullied" Lucie when he gave her a dressing down for being friends with the boys, especially Tommy Fury.
Hundreds of viewers had complained about the moment he told her: "I'm not happy with it. It's strange. I think it's time for you to get close with the girls."
However, he explained to The Sun Online: "I have nothing to be sorry for.
"I didn’t manipulate or abuse her. I am gutted that it has been perceived in that way because it wasn’t like that at all.
“I always had Lucie’s best interests at heart and I promise you I would do everything and anything to help her because she had a hard time in there and didn’t get on with the girls.
"I was trying to help her and make her experience as amazing as possible. I thought I did right.”
Joe added: “I am not going to say sorry. I may have worded things wrong and the cameras are on you 24/7. I may have slipped up a bit but I am only human.
“I am young and inexperienced so maybe some things have come out differently to what they are. I just hope people can see me for who I genuinely am and what I genuinely am. I am not that person.”
Viewers saw Lucie crying in last night's Love Island as she struggled on in the show without Joe.
