Dumped Love Island star Michael: "I did hurt Amber...but I want Joanna back"
The former islander says he left things with his old flame on a good note, and addressed suggestions that he is the villain of series five
Michael Griffiths says he still wants to pursue a relationship with Joanna Chimonides, despite having confessed his feelings for former flame Amber Gill in his last week in the Love Island villa.
The Liverpudlian was kicked off of the series after his fellow islanders declined to save him and Francesca Allen after they had landed in the bottom tier of couples in the public vote.
In his first interview since leaving the show, he told RadioTimes.com that he and Amber are "literally just friends", and that he wants to try and make things work with Joanna.
"I don’t regret staying with Joanna at all [after Casa Amor]," he said. "I made that decision because that’s what I wanted at the time and it still is kinda what I want."
However, he's not so sure that Joanna feels the same. Will they give it another go?
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"Ultimately yes I’m hoping that is the case," he said. "It’s just whether Joanna will speak to me or not." He admitted that he wouldn't be surprised if Joanna refused to speak to him, nor would he blame her.
"If Joanna told me to leave her alone I’d totally respect that and I’d understand why she’d do that. I’d be upset because I wouldn’t be able to make things work, but it’s one of those things, everyone makes mistakes and I hope I could work towards it. But if she doesn’t want to revisit it, then she doesn’t want to revisit it. It’s up to her really."
As for Amber, he says that the two left things on a "really good note".
"I spoke to her when I left and I basically wished her well," he said. "We are ultimately friends, we know that we are friends and I do actually see her and Greg working, because I know how he makes her smile and seeing that actually makes me quite happy. And that’s put the cherry on the cake really as it made realise that I cherish Amber’s friendship."
Is he worried that he has become the villain of the series?
"People are entitled to their opinion," he said. "Yeah I hurt Amber, I get that. I probably hurt Joanna, too. Me actually coming to terms to it and speaking to Amber about it all and getting everything off my chest, making Amber feel better about everything and having me and Amber finish as friends, that’s more important to me than everything."
However, he has no intention of limiting his usage of the word "chaldish" any time soon.
"I will still use the word childish!" he said. "I like the word childish."
Love Island continues tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2
