After Jess Harding was called a “mean girl” for her treatment of Molly Marsh, Love Island received 155 Ofcom complaints.
The drama exploded on Wednesday, June 14, when Jess, 22, made repeated behind-the-back comments about musical theatre artist Molly, and subsequently fell into tears when she was called out on her attitude.
Molly had made it apparent at that moment that she wanted to get to know Zachariah Noble after turning her head away from Mitchel Taylor.
But Jess wasn’t pleased with the way she handled things and made her feelings known.
The aesthetics practitioner once told the rest of the group that Molly was ‘doing the most’ in the gym.
Ella Thomas replied: ‘She’s not leaving Zach’s side today. She is obviously pretending that she just wanted to work out.’
Jess added: ‘She knows we’re talking about her. I don’t give a f***. Give a f***.’
When Molly called over to Jess and asked her to join, she bluntly replied: ‘I don’t want to intrude in the triangle babe.’
‘I can literally hear every conversation. Just shut up,’ Molly added under her breath.
Not long after, Whitney Adebayo and Catherine Agbaje called Jess out following a challenge in which she had muttered about picking Molly as the most “two-faced.”
Whitney had later addressed the comment, telling Jess: ‘I feel like you feel some kind of way around Molly. We thought you were going to pick Molly.’
Jess replied: ‘No I’ve never said a bad word about her. I do think what she did with Mitchel was unfair.’
She added: ‘I don’t think she’s two-faced. I think she’s been honest with her feelings.’
Catherine said: ‘I think going forward just cut the whispering out.’
‘There’s no whispering, the challenge is done,’ Jess replied, before walking off in tears.
The episode has now racked up 155 complaints with Ofcom confirming that ‘the majority of complaints related to alleged bullying behaviour, involving Jess and Molly.’
Members of the audience flocked to Twitter at the moment to voice their opinions on the incident, dubbing the duo “mean girls” for their constant criticism of Molly.
One warned: ‘Jess and Ella might wanna be careful before they get bullying complaints sent to ofcom #loveIsland.’
Another said: ‘Jess was most definitely giving mean girl energy with the way she’s been acting towards Molly. Dunno what she’s crying for. She can dish it out but can’t take it.’
‘Jess gives mean girl vibes,’ someone else penned.
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.
