A FORMER Dowdales School student has caused a stir in the Love Island villa.

23-year-old Jacques O’Neill was the centre of controversy during Tuesday night’s episode after his ex-girlfriend Gemma Owens, who is also starring in the ITV 2 show, accidently called another boy by his name.

Luca, who is coupled up with Gemma, was left hurt by the slip-up from the 19-year-old daughter of footballing star Michael Owens.

After Luca walked away, Gemma claimed she felt ‘so bad’, while Luca described it as a ‘nightmare’.

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Retreating inside the villa, she was joined by Jacques.

In disbelief at the situation, Gemma said to Jacques: “He is going to be fuming, isn’t he?

“On a scale of one to 10 how bad do you think that was?”

Jacques said: “It doesn’t matter how bad it was, it matters how angry he is really. That’s what matters.”

On the way back to the villa’s gardens, Jacques told Gemma that he’d have her back.

The former couple had previously been in a relationship for eight months but broke it off a year and a half ago – the last time they saw each other before being reunited in the villa.

Back outside, Gemma collared Luca into a private chat where she told him she ‘obviously didn’t mean to say it, so it was a genuine mistake’.

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She said: “I have no feelings for him, I have no interest in getting back with him.”

After the chat, Luca said: “She apologised and we move on, we live another day with her ex right next to us. Lovely.

“Happy days. Who’d have thought?”

Jacques’ rugby team The Castleford Tigers confirmed the release of hooker O’Neill on Friday but said they have the first option to re-sign him if he wants to resume his rugby league career.

The team tweeted: “Castleford Tigers can confirm that the Club has agreed to release Jacques O’Neill from his contract to allow him to pursue another opportunity.”

O'Neill played junior rugby league for Askam ARLFC before being signed to the Castleford Tigers academy.