Love Island's Jay: You have to stick to your morals and be yourself

Jay Younger was approached by producers to appear on the show

When you are up against stiff competition and fighting for the affection of Britain's biggest bombshells, it helps to have thoroughbred sports blood in your veins.

Jay Younger represented Scotland in the Love Island villa many moons after his grandfather represented his country on the football pitch.

Who knows what Hibs, Liverpool and Scotland goalkeeper Tommy Younger would have thought of his grandson's role in the hit ITV2 show.

But despite controversy surrounding the behaviour of some of series eight's male contestants, the investment analyst from Edinburgh seems to have emerged with his reputation intact.

He was evicted from Majorca's most famous villa on 11 July, a week before Women's Aid spoke to ITV about "misogynistic and controlling behaviour" on the programme.

'Careful how you speak to the women'

The charity also criticised producers for missing out "an understanding of controlling behaviour in relationships" in its inclusion training for contestants.

Younger told BBC Scotland he had tried to be respectful.

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"When you know that you are live in the villa that's when you have got to be more careful with how you speak to the women in there - and the guys in there," he said.

"You have just got to be yourself.

"That's how I always was in the villa whether we were on camera or not. You have just got to be honest to who you are.

"At the end of the day you don't want to change your character because that way you come across as not genuine and people can tell that very quickly.

"So you have to just stick to being yourself and stick to your morals."

'Things viewers don't see'

ITV said it was always looking at how it expands and evolves on its inclusivity training.

Younger managed to avoid being implicated in much of the negativity which has emerged in the 2022 series of the reality show.

He is aware that everything that happens in the villa is not always seen on screen.

He said: "A lot of things the viewers don't see, and if that's for the best or for good I'm not sure .

"But what you don't see is the camaraderie we had between the boys and the girls - when we have dinner together, singing together at the beanbags before going out for the evening, it's all positive."

Jay Younger managed to escape much of the controversy involving the male contestants on Love Island season eight

At 28, Younger is slightly older than many of the others.

He added: "It can be difficult to relate to different stages in your life when you are speaking to younger people in there.

"It is a very different environment and some of it can feel a little bit artificial because you are always together, waking up and going to bed together.

"But you have just got to be understanding and honest and just enjoy the moment."

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The show found him, not the other way around. He was approached by producers to appear, and had an understanding employer.

"I'm single, I'm 28 and if I find love in the villa and an opportunity to have a summer of fun then why not?

"I have a very good relationship with my employer and they have been unbelievably kind and understanding with me. They said if it was what I wanted to do I should be allowed to."

And he plans to return to his day job, despite many Love Island stars moving from the show to influencer deals, sponsorships and television and entertainment programmes.

'Doors shut with the ladies'

He said: "If I felt I had conducted myself badly in there they might not be so willing to have me, but I am delighted to be going back.

"There are other opportunities out there that we are trying to flesh out and maybe in time I will work with my firm on opportunities too."

Finding the much sought-after "connection" in the villa was harder than he thought and he ultimately left the island as single as he arrived on it.

He said: "I think the first week in there I had a lot of momentum on my side, but because I had a brief fling with Ekin-Su, that got intimate quite quickly, a lot of doors shut with the other ladies in there.

"If you move fast in there sometimes it can be difficult to get out of it and get to know someone else. It's not like the outside world where that's private.

"There are lots of good looking people in there, so you have to put your pride aside and if you do like someone, you have to tell them and take your shot.

"As long as you are being true to yourself there is no problem."