Love Island's most shocking moments of 2024 so far - brutal exits to furious clashes

As we cosy up indoors for our summer evenings, ITV1's Love Island has been dishing out a series packed with jaw-dropping moments that have kept us glued to our screens.

Even though we're past the halfway mark of this year's escapades, fans need not worry – there's still a treasure trove of drama to unfold in the episodes ahead. The series kicked off with a bang when host Maya Jama called the islanders to the fire pit, only for them to be greeted by none other than Joey Essex, causing a stir among the villa's residents.

This unprecedented move saw a celebrity join the show from the start for the first time ever, hinting at the possibility of more stars dropping into the villa in future seasons.

Viewers were just as taken aback, taking to X, previously known as Twitter, to express their astonishment at Joey's entrance, reports the Mirror.

One fan exclaimed: "Joey Essex on Love Island was something I would never be prepared for, you just know everyone's going to be all over him. Not giving the other lads a chance bless him." Another commented: "Joey Essex coming in as a bombshell in Love Island was not on my 2024 bingo card."

But the surprises didn't stop there. In the fourth week, during a fiery game of Never Have I Ever, two contestants found themselves in a heated argument, adding fuel to the already simmering tensions.

Ciaran Davies didn't hold back as he accused Harriett Blackmore of being "two-faced" venting: "People will make comments and then straight after be all nice to me and say, for instance 'ah you need to be careful with him' but then 'ah you're actually really good Ciaran with her, you treat her so well'."

Harriett retorted sharply: "Cool. When you're making comments about other islanders and I'm having a conversation with my friend, I'm going to say that. Honestly you're so immature it's actually embarrassing." But Ciaran had the last word, sarcastically remarking: "I haven't been second choice like three times in here, so."

The fallout saw Harriett fleeing in tears, seeking solace with friends Matilda Draper and Grace Jackson, while the rest of the islanders were left to take sides amidst the fiery clash.

In a twist revealed on the 28 June episode, the contestants learned that the public had voted for their favourite couples, with those garnering the least support facing immediate expulsion from the island. Against all odds, it was the popular duo Harriett and Ronnie Vint who faced the chop, much to the shock of viewers at home.

Since their unexpected departure, social media has been awash with calls for their return, with fans lamenting the loss of their presence in the villa.

One fan lamented on X: "The way this season has kinda fallen when Harriet and Ronnie left. We needed them in Casa, Movie Night, Award Night Challenge and in the Final."

A different viewer concurred: "This series of Love Island genuinely is poor, I don't know if it's because of Harriet and Ronnie leaving but I can't see a winner at all right now #loveisland."