Axed Love Islander says he wants to return to series as a bombshell

A Love Islander axed from the show after it emerged he had been arrested over a fight at a funeral has suggested he could return to the series.

Kyle Ashman, 23, was due to enter the villa on Monday for the ITV2 show's 12th series but was dropped after The Sun newspaper reported details of the violence in Stafford earlier this year.

In a follow-up Instagram post Kyle, who was released by police without further action, suggested he could rejoin the cast as a "bombshell" or as part of Love Island's annual Casa Amor plot.

An ITV spokesperson told Newsbeat they had "nothing to add" when asked if the station had ruled out a return.

Staffordshire Police said it was called to reports someone had been "glassed" when violence broke out at a social club on 28th February.

Two men were taken to hospital afterwards, the force said, adding that two 22-year-old men were arrested and later released without further action.

In his Instagram clip Kyle, a water worker, said he was "innocent" and "not a bad guy".

"I'm a normal guy from a normal place," he said.

"An opportunity arose to find love, I grabbed it with both hands and it's been taken away from me."

ITV previously said Kyle had decided not to enter the villa as planned due to "personal reasons".

It also released a further statement, credited to Kyle, which stated: "I am not a violent person and any suggestion otherwise is a mischaracterisation."

Professional rugby player Conor Phillips, 25, has been announced as Kyle's replacement.

Conor, from Limerick in the Republic of Ireland, will appear as part of the starting line-up when the series returns on Monday.

The former Ireland U20 international has played for Munster since 2022 and described himself as a "class clown".

"Being in big teams and groups all the time, I'm always mixing things up, stirring the pot," he said.

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