Love Island star Ollie Williams quits amid trophy-hunting controversy

Ollie Williams quit the reality TV show in dramatic fashion, telling fellow contestants that he was doing so because he was still in love with his ex-girlfriend Laura Nofer, 23.

Before the show began he had been together with Laura for 18 months.

Ollie said in the Beach Hut: "I have to be honest with myself, and everyone, that I do still love someone else…

"I have to follow my heart in this scenario and it would be wrong for me to ignore these feelings.

"At the end of the day, this is Love Island and it’s about finding love. If I carried on anything with Paige, or any other girl that might come into the villa, it wouldn’t be fair on them."

His exit comes shortly after photos were revealed showing Love Island hopeful posing with large animals he had killed on trophy hunting expeditions.

The pictures sparked outrage and led to a petition on Change.org calling on ITV bosses to have him removed from the show.

A message posted alongside the petition declared: "Ollie Williams who is due to enter Winter Love Island has been exposed as a bloodthirsty big trophy hunter.

"He has proudly posed with an array of dead endangered animals including warthog and water buffalo among other animals he killed in Africa in order to promote his hunting business, Cornish Sporting Agency.

"The disgusting photos were posted on an Instagram account that was deleted before it was announced that Ollie would be one of the contestants joining the winter series of Love Island in South Africa.

"ITV allowing him to be on the show is implying that they are okay with his sick and sadistic hobby.

"Ollie Williams should not be allowed to take part or compete in the Love Island series and he should not be allowed on a such a public platform."

Friends of Ollie Williams say he is in fact a keen conservationist, despite the photos, The Mirror reported.