Appearing on Love Island Aftersun, Priya Jaswal issued a public apology to fellow islander Elicia Bailey for a comment in which she told Elicia to 'go back to the National Rail'. The apology came just after Priya was dumped from the villa in a public vote, and following a heated exchange that had sparked controversy among viewers.
Context of the Comment
The remark was made after Priya learned that Elicia had branded her the 'biggest game player' during an interview. In response, Priya said: 'I don't care what Elicia says. I don't care. It's cringy. Go back to the National Rail.' She continued: 'Elicia, you work for the National Rail, why are you f------ sitting in Aftersun?' The comment was widely criticised as job-shaming and unnecessary.
Priya's Apology
During her own appearance on Love Island Aftersun, host Maya Jama confronted Priya about the incident. Priya quickly took responsibility, stating: 'I want to publicly apologise to Elicia because I think that comment about the National Rail, 'Go back to the National Rail', completely out of line, completely a catty comment.'
She explained that her emotions had been building over the seven to eight weeks she spent in the villa. 'I really let the feelings in there, over 7 to 8 weeks that were bubbling up, of emotion. I think the fellow Islanders can obviously also vouch for the fact that when you get to 7/8 weeks in there the feelings – wow the emotions – the feelings get very, very heightened.' She described her words as 'very out of character' and expressed regret: 'I do want to publicly apologise to Elicia, that was completely out of line, completely out of character and yeah I do regret saying that.'
Elicia's Reaction
Elicia has not yet publicly addressed Priya's apology, but she had previously responded to the initial comments on the podcast Love Island: The Debrief. Speaking to hosts Shakira Khan, Yasmin Pettet and Toni Laites, Elicia said: 'I'm really surprised by the bitter and jealous comments because her reacting the way she did seems quite bitter, about the fact that I called out what everyone else is thinking.'
Aftermath
The incident has sparked wider discussions about job-shaming and the pressures of reality TV. Priya's apology was met with mixed reactions from fans, some appreciating her accountability and others criticising the original remark. The show continues to air on ITV, with further drama expected in the lead-up to the final.
