Love Island contestant Priya Jaswal has issued a public apology to co-star Elicia Bailey after she sparked mass outrage by mocking her National Rail career.
The reality star, 25, was accused of ‘job-shaming’ last week after she declared ‘go back to National Rail. Elicia, you work for the National Rail, why are you f***ing sitting in Aftersun?’ in an outburst that went viral on social media and even prompted a comeback from ticket sales operator Trainline.
Now Priya has broken her silence on the remarks, saying she was ‘out of line’ when pressed on the subject on Love Island spin-off show, Aftersun.
Priya, who works as business development manager, said on Sunday’s show: ‘Firstly I want to publicly apologise to Elicia because I think that comment was completely out of line, a catty comment.
‘There’s a lot of feelings in there over seven to eight weeks that were bubbling up… I think the fellow Islanders can also vouch for that – the feelings, the emotions, they get very wow, very heightened.
‘It was very out of character for me and I came on a bit of smoke because of that and I obviously said “go back to the national rail” and I do regret that…’
Love Island contestant Priya Jaswal has issued a public apology to co-star Elicia Bailey after she sparked mass outrage by mocking her National Rail career
The job-shaming row resurfaced on Sunday when Elicia returned to the villa alongside the other dumped Islanders to give their verdict on which couple didn’t deserve a place in the final
As Priya began to repeat herself, host Maya Jama quickly jumped in to interject: ‘Ok, big up the National Rail, we can leave it there.’
Islander Aidan Murphy then said: ‘We all use it as well! What would we do without the National Rail?’ as Priya quipped: ‘I’m always on the National Rail’.
Viewers were quick to comment on the exchange, taking to X/Twitter to pen: ‘Dying at Priya and this long apology to Elicia on aftersun for job shaming, then Maya cutting her off and saying “big up the national rail”’;
‘No one can make me hate Priya. I love my word vomit national rail hater girlie #LoveIsland #LoveIslandUK’; Priya making a public apology because she’s scared about being banned from the national rail #Loveisland’
‘Priya now has a lifetime ban from National Rail #loveisland’; ‘Priya: I think before I speak. Also Priya : Go back to National Rail. Also Priya : I spoke out of character #LoveIsland #Aftersun’.
In the initial exchange, Priya had referenced Elicia’s job after learning that Elicia had branded her the ‘biggest game player’ in the villa.
Unleashing a shock rant to fellow Islanders Kavan Murphy, Mica Harris and Jasmine Müller, Priya said: ‘I don’t care what Elicia says. I don’t care. It’s cringy.
‘Go back to the National Rail. Elicia, you work for the National Rail, why are you f***ing sitting in Aftersun?… But just go back there and save your breath.’
During Priya’s rant, Kavan interjected by saying: ‘There’s nothing wrong with working for National Rail, alright?’ yet Jasmine and Mica giggled at the remarks – leading to further backlash.
The comments did not go down well with viewers, who branded her ‘vile, classist and tone deaf’, and demanded for her to be removed from the show.
Surrey-based business development manager Priya could see her earn around £43,000 based on national averages, while Rotherham-born bombshell Elicia is expected to earn roughly £30,000 as a team organiser for National Rail.
Priya, who works as business development manager, said on Sunday’s show: ‘Firstly I want to publicly apologise to Elicia because I think that comment was completely out of line’ (pictured with fellow Islander Aidan Murphy)
As Priya began to repeat herself, host Maya Jama quickly jumped in to interject: ‘Ok, big up the National Rail, we can leave it there’
Viewers were quick to comment on the exchange, taking to X/Twitter to share their thoughts
Priya and Aidan then left the show in Friday’s episode after receiving the least votes from the public.
However, the job-shaming row resurfaced on Sunday when Elicia returned to the villa alongside the other dumped Islanders to give their verdict on which couple didn’t deserve a place in the final.
Taking aim at Mica, Elicia began: ‘There was a comment that was made publicly that was job-shaming myself.
‘I didn’t really agree with it, and Mica I saw that you laughed during that conversation.’
‘Priya said a few comments, which by the way, I absolutely worked my a**e off, and I’m proud of that, and I stand by that.’
Mica then apologised for laughing at Priya’s words, insisting she was laughing in disbelief at the comment rather than agreement.
Regardless, Elicia joined seven other Islanders voting that Mica and her partner Samraj Toor were least deserving of a place in the final, dumping them from the show.
Elicia previously expressed her upset at Priya’s comments, explaining on the Love Island Debrief programme that she thought remarking on her job was ‘crazy’.
Priya’s rant was a reaction to being shown a clip of Elicia on Aftersun calling her the ‘biggest game player’ on the show but Elicia insisted it wasn’t personal.
Speaking to Debrief hosts Shakira Khan, Toni Laites and Yasmin Pettet, she explained that there was no ‘attack on Priya’s character’ and she was merely answering a question.
Elicia hit out at Mica Harris for laughing at the job shaming comments and on Sunday Mica and Samraj Toor were shown being dumped from the villa
She said: ‘The comments that she made tonight, she said that I attacked her character, but I was asked a question on Aftersun.
‘I didn’t call them like begging them to get me on. Everybody goes on Aftersun.
‘I was asked a question, it wasn’t an attack on anyone’s personality, anyone’s character but the comments she made was a personal attack, like where I work.
‘That’s crazy, I’m the target. She also obviously hasn’t seen other interviews of other people saying the exact same thing, I’m the easy target tonight because I was there.
‘I’m really surprised by the bitter and jealous comment because her reacting the way she did seemed quite bitter – I called out what everyone else was thinking,’ Elicia divulged.
The scandal came a week after Love Island was hit with 533 Ofcom complaints.
Viewers of the ITV dating show have reported to the regulatory body about four episodes over the past week, following calls to complain over ‘women-hating’.
In Ofcom’s weekly report – in which any show garnering more than 50 complaints is reported – Love Island dominated with four episodes, while the only other shows were The Saturday Five, with 586 complaints, and Alex Armstrong Tonight, with 257.
Movie Night received a whopping 197 complaints, as predicted by viewers who alleged that Jasmine became a ‘target’.
Ringing in with 167 complaints was the boys’ return from Casa Amor, which saw Angelista Gunda and Jasmine devastated by Simba Kudyiwa and Kavan’s decisions.
The Love Island live final airs at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
