Love Island: Harrison reunites with Lauren on Aftersun - are they officially together? Ex-islander breaks his silence

The 22-year-old footballer has caused controversy on this year’s series with his antics that has seen him involved in a love triangle between Lauren and ex-partner Toni. Viewers were left stunned after Harrison appeared to sleep with Lauren inside the villa only hours before begging Toni to pick him at a recoupling ceremony, with Women’s Aid even issuing a statement regarding “toxic behaviours” being presented in reality TV shows.

Cameras caught the dramatic moment Lauren was dumped from the island after new bombshell Angel stole partner Ty from her, with the 26-year-old in tears as she made her way out the famous villa doors. Harrison then informed his fellow islanders the next day that he would be leaving the villa voluntarily to follow Lauren. Their emotional reunion was filmed, with Harrison surprising Lauren before they jetted back to the UK.

Harrison and Lauren then appeared live together on Love Island’s companion show Aftersun following their dramatic exit from the villa. However, when asked by host Maya Jama if the couple are official now, Harrison said: “Nah, nah, sorry to disappoint but we’re not boyfriend and girlfriend. But I think we’ll get there very soon.”

Maya probed Harrison on why it took him a full day to decide to leave the villa, after Lauren begged him the night before to leave with her and later told him she would be waiting on the outside for him. Harrison said: “I think as soon as Lauren did leave, I mouthed to the girls, saying ‘I’m going, I’m going, I’m going’.

“But obviously, you know, I made a lot of impulsive decision in there, and I didn’t want to make an emotional decision leaving. Obviously, it’s a big thing leaving the Love Island villa. I just thought I wanted to sleep on it, see how I felt the next day.

“I woke up the next day just feeling the same way. I could’ve made the decision in the morning but I gave it the rest of the day to see how I was feeling and it was still exactly the same so I felt like I had made my mind up in the morning in all honesty.”

He also revealed that the final recoupling, in which Toni picked Harrison after he begged her to do so on the terrace, was the final straw that made him pick Lauren in the love triangle. He said: “I spent the next two days with Toni and I feel like something was holding me back a little bit.”

Maya Jama asked the couple at what point he took the love triangle too far, with Lauren exclaiming: “When you took her to the terrace”. Harrison revealed he “massively regrets” his actions adding: “I think maybe obviously when we probably did bits, [I] probably took it a little bit too far talking to Toni after that. And I apologise to both of the girls.”

Lauren said that Harrison’s decision to leave the villa “showed me everything that I needed to know”. She added: “Obviously the situation with the re-coupling was... I found so disrespectful. It as just the timing of it.

“I understood why he wanted to still get to know her, and I said he could still get to know her when we were in a couple. So I didn’t understand the recoupling situation, and he went about it the wrong way. I think he knows that, and he is very sorry for what he’s done. But I think leaving the villa showed me that he obviously has made his decision, like it was a big decision to make.”

Love Island continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX