Love Island’s Liam on why he left the villa after less than a week

This is the first time he has spoken about it.

Love Island star Liam Llewellyn has opened up on the real reason he made a shock exit from the show within the first week it hit our screens. The 23 year old began as an original contestant this year but left after only six days in the villa, saying he wasn't being himself while there. Speaking for the first time since leaving, Liam told MailOnline: “I was expected to do things for a TV show and I couldn’t be myself. I didn’t want to do it. It is a TV show and it is produced. It’s not all natural.” “In my head I was not in the right position to take part in a TV show because that’s what you’re doing. You have to go on dates, do challenges, and you’re not in control of any of it.” “On my dates they asked me to repeat things because it didn’t quite come through." After numerous meetings with the show's execs, the series editor, and professional physiologists, it only took a couple of days before Liam realised the show wasn't for him and "wasn’t right for me to carry on." Saying he became "very emotional" behind the scenes, the Welsh native revealed it was a big decision to make and it wasn't done without a mental battle with himself. Devastated he had to leave, he said he was just too overwhelmed by the experience and had no choice but to end his journey earlier. Originally in a couple with Gemma, it wasn't long before she moved on with Luca, and they're still together to this day. After getting a lot of stick in recent weeks over his behaviour in the villa, Liam was quick to defend him. He said that Luca is nothing like how he is portrayed on screen, and it's been hard to watch him being shown in a negative light as we only see such a small segment from the show. Liam has also said he has reached out to Jacques as he had a similar experience on the show, despite not appearing in it together.