Jacques O’Neill has admitted he’s still looking after his former flame, Paige Thorne, following her split from Adam Collard.
Paige, 24, previously dated Jacques, 23, on the ITV2 show before he left the island due to his mental health and she then continued on the show in a couple with Adam.
But Jacques has confessed his feelings for the paramedic haven’t gone away after they were spotted at a cozy show in Manchester earlier this month.
Lasting feelings: Jacques O’Neill has admitted he still cares for his former flame Paige Thorne after she split from Adam Collard
In conversation with OK! He said: “I have no bad blood towards her at all and she has nothing against me, whatever happened, it was on a show and it happened.
“Anytime I see Paige, I’ll talk to the girl. I have nothing against her. She is a pretty girl and I will always take care of her. As simple as that.’
He continued, “Once you have feelings for someone it doesn’t come easy, you’ll always take care of them no matter what, so that’s how I see Paige right now.”
Getting cozy: He continued, “Once you have feelings for someone it doesn’t go easy, you’ll always take care of them no matter what, so that’s how I see Paige right now.”
It comes after Paige was spotted speaking into Jacques’ ear when they met at the GraceJacob Selfridges & Co event at Mnky Hse restaurant last Saturday.
Pictures provided by Web showed Paige and Jacques looking very close as they chatted in the bustling crowd at the fun-filled event.
Paige was seen speaking in Jacques’ ear in the noisy environment while the rugby player appeared to be leaning towards her.
Short-lived: Paige, 24, was previously coupled with Jacques, 23, on the ITV2 show before he left the island due to his mental health and she then continued on the show in a couple with Adam
The pair appeared to be engaged in animated conversation as Paige appeared to put her arm around Jacques while partygoers danced around them.
Prior to his exit from Love Island, Jacques had been flirting with and kissing other girls during the infamous Casa Amor episodes, which soured his relationship with Paige.
Discussing her decision to walk away from him, Paige previously said, “I thought if I don’t stop it now, I know I’m going to fall really too hard and won’t be able to get myself out of it.
She revealed the pair have been in touch since the show, adding: “We get on really well.”
Oh no! Prior to his exit from Love Island, Jacques had been flirting with and kissing other girls during the infamous Casa Amor episodes, which soured his relationship with Paige
Earlier this month, Paige split from boyfriend Adam after it was revealed he allegedly cheated on her.
Adding that he would always have Paige’s back, Jacques hinted at the breakup by saying she was “badly beaten up” by someone.
He said: “She gets a lot of hate and bad press but if we have to look out for each other why shouldn’t we because we’re actually good people. So it’s normal to be nice to each other.
In her corner: Jacques added that he would always have Paige’s back and hinted at the split by saying she was “badly beaten up” by someone
“She was mistreated by a guy like that, so if she was mistreated by a guy like that, I’ll have her back.”
However, he also insisted that the pair are currently just friends and that he has been more focused on himself than romance.
In October, Paige claimed she’d seen more videos of her ex-boyfriend cheating.
In September, a video of Adam wrapping his arm around a woman at McDonald’s went viral.
Short-lived: Earlier this month, Paige split from boyfriend Adam after it was revealed he allegedly cheated on her
He was then photographed partying in Ibiza while befriending another girl at a pool party.
After the photo and videos were posted, Paige removed all trace of Adam from her social media and unfollowed him on Instagram.
Adam later confirmed that he and Paige are no longer together, telling The Sun, “We’re not together. Things happen. But I mean, she’s a great girl.”
Paige has since broken her silence about the shock split in an appearance on the Saving Grave podcast.
She confirmed: “I’m single – living my best life. No, I’m kidding, it was a really shitty time.’
Opening up about the cheating allegations, Paige said Adam was “not friends” with the woman and that there was more video evidence.
She said: “It’s not just this video. There are other videos that people don’t know about, by different people, on the same night, in different places.
Oh dear: A video of Adam, 26, putting his arm around a woman in McDonald’s previously went viral
“At first I thought, you know what? It’s just one arm. I understand that people get flirtatious. There’s nothing to it. If I’m at the club and a guy puts his arm around me, is that cheating? no
“And then these other videos came out and I was just like, ooh. Ooh, I can’t justify that.’
Paige said the videos showed Adam and women in the VIP restrooms, ruling out any chance of the couple’s reconciliation.
She continued, “I mean, would you? Would you come back with someone like that? The videos speak for themselves. The ones everyone has seen and the ones only I have seen.”
Not getting back together: Paige said the videos show Adam and women in the VIP restrooms, ruling out any chance of the couple’s reconciliation