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Mike Thalassitis’ restaurant to open this weekend in his honour with CALM charity fundraiser

Mike Thalassitis’ Essex restaurant is opening to the public this weekend “in his honour”.

Thalassitis, who found fame on Love Island in 2017, took his own life in woodland near his home last month. He was 26.

The reality star had been due to open The Skillet in Loughton with his business partner Scott Neilson. Flowers were left outside the venue shortly after news of his death broke, with the restaurant soon confirming that it would open “when they were ready”.

It has now been confirmed that this weekend will host the grand launch.

Announcing the news on Instagram, the venue revealed a “special tribute” to Thalassitis with all proceeds from drinks this weekend being donated to Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) to help “build awareness of depression in young men and develop practical resources to support those suffering”.

Business: The Skillet in Loughton (Lewis Pennock/PA Wire/PA Images)
Business: The Skillet in Loughton (Lewis Pennock/PA Wire/PA Images)

The post continued: “Mike worked extremely hard on this launch. He was passionate about cooking and it was his dream to one day open a restaurant.

“Together, we have created a first-rate breakfast bar we hope you will enjoy and we invite you all to come down and celebrate his love of good food.”

Thalassitis’ close friend Montana Brown, who he met in the Love Island villa, posted at length about the upcoming opening on her Instagram stories, encouraging fans to come down and see what he had been working on.

She said: “Mike worked so hard on The Skillet and he put his heart and soul into it and it really was his little project that he adored and he loves cooking.

“He worked really hard with Scott and I’m so proud of them both. It hasn’t been easy but I can’t wait to see it.”