Wes Nelson may be best known for his stint in the Love Island villa in 2018, but fast-forward six years and the star has another reason to keep him in the headlines - a No1 single in the Big Top 40! "It's bananas, I can't believe it," the star says of his latest track, Abracadabra - on which he collaborated with legendary singer and songwriter Craig David.
"My life has changed so much since being on Love Island." On the ITV2 dating show, the 25-year-old was linked to fellow Islander Laura Anderson, who he then later ditched for Megan Barton-Hanson.
Wes, who has also appeared on Dancing On Ice and The X Factor: Celebrity, then sparked up a relationship with All Stars contestant Arabella Chi, 32, in 2019, but split nine months later.
Here, the cheeky chap spills all on his return to the iconic villa, what it was like to see Arabella again and why his love life is strictly private these days.
Hi, Wes! Congratulations on your chart success. You recently returned to the Love Island villa. What did it feel like to be back in there?
A lot has changed since I was on e Love Island in 2018. When I went back to perform for All Stars, I felt about 40 years older [laughs].
Obviously this time I was going in with different intentions, but even maturity-wise I was only 19 or 20 when I entered the first time. I'm a different person now. When I walked in, I thought, "Oh, I don't know if I could do this again."
So we shouldn't expect you popping up on the next season of All Stars?
honestly felt a little bit anxious going in. Don't get me wrong, it really did launch me into the public eye and I'm so grateful for that. I'll never be ashamed of going on Love Island, but at the same time, people change. I just couldn't do it now. Thankfully, when I went in recently I had Craig [David] by my side and I was preoccupied with not looking like a clown next to him!
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1709013817/articles/IsvQt4eVr1709019678076/0501119010.jpg]
What was it like seeing your ex-Arabella again?
There's no bad blood between us. We're absolutely fine now. To be honest, I wasn't focused on Arabella at all when I went back into the villa, I was there to perform my song. I saw some people say online that it looked awkward, but it wasn't at all. I've got nothing against the girl, but performing with Craig was more important than feeling rubbish about seeing my ex again.
What's changed the most about you since being on the show?
I like my relationships to be out of the public eye now and that's the opposite of what goes on in there. I've learned that I just don't want everyone to know about things. It's only been six years but I have changed a lot and now know what I want from a relationship.
What are you looking for now?
I just want things to be separate when it comes to my career and a relationship. Whether I want it or not, the minute I bring my love life into the public eye it sort of involuntarily becomes work too. I don't want that any more.
What's one of your favourite things to have happened to you since leaving the villa?
The messages I've received from people have been amazing. Some have said that my music has helped them get through some really tough times. I'm not saying my songs are enlightening or anything like that, they're not, but they do make you feel a certain way. If I'm able to make som...
"My life has changed so much since being on Love Island." On the ITV2 dating show, the 25-year-old was linked to fellow Islander Laura Anderson, who he then later ditched for Megan Barton-Hanson.
Wes, who has also appeared on Dancing On Ice and The X Factor: Celebrity, then sparked up a relationship with All Stars contestant Arabella Chi, 32, in 2019, but split nine months later.
Here, the cheeky chap spills all on his return to the iconic villa, what it was like to see Arabella again and why his love life is strictly private these days.
Hi, Wes! Congratulations on your chart success. You recently returned to the Love Island villa. What did it feel like to be back in there?
A lot has changed since I was on e Love Island in 2018. When I went back to perform for All Stars, I felt about 40 years older [laughs].
Obviously this time I was going in with different intentions, but even maturity-wise I was only 19 or 20 when I entered the first time. I'm a different person now. When I walked in, I thought, "Oh, I don't know if I could do this again."
So we shouldn't expect you popping up on the next season of All Stars?
honestly felt a little bit anxious going in. Don't get me wrong, it really did launch me into the public eye and I'm so grateful for that. I'll never be ashamed of going on Love Island, but at the same time, people change. I just couldn't do it now. Thankfully, when I went in recently I had Craig [David] by my side and I was preoccupied with not looking like a clown next to him!
[https://cdn.magzter.com/1583506613/1709013817/articles/IsvQt4eVr1709019678076/0501119010.jpg]
What was it like seeing your ex-Arabella again?
There's no bad blood between us. We're absolutely fine now. To be honest, I wasn't focused on Arabella at all when I went back into the villa, I was there to perform my song. I saw some people say online that it looked awkward, but it wasn't at all. I've got nothing against the girl, but performing with Craig was more important than feeling rubbish about seeing my ex again.
What's changed the most about you since being on the show?
I like my relationships to be out of the public eye now and that's the opposite of what goes on in there. I've learned that I just don't want everyone to know about things. It's only been six years but I have changed a lot and now know what I want from a relationship.
What are you looking for now?
I just want things to be separate when it comes to my career and a relationship. Whether I want it or not, the minute I bring my love life into the public eye it sort of involuntarily becomes work too. I don't want that any more.
What's one of your favourite things to have happened to you since leaving the villa?
The messages I've received from people have been amazing. Some have said that my music has helped them get through some really tough times. I'm not saying my songs are enlightening or anything like that, they're not, but they do make you feel a certain way. If I'm able to make som...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, March 04, 2024