Lauren Goodger defends Love Island’s Adam as she brands girls ‘psycho’

Reality star Lauren Goodger has urged the female contestants on Love Island to “take control” and said they are being “psycho”.

The Only Way Is Essex star said the girls were allowing themselves to be treated badly on the ITV2 dating show.

Personal trainer Adam Collard has been accused of “gaslighting” solicitor Rosie Williams, and a leading domestic abuse charity said he is showing warning signs of emotional abusive behaviour.

But Goodger told ITV’s This Morning: “I don’t condone being horrible to girls but it’s a TV show and it’s a game, it’s Love Island! They have known each other how many days?”

She added: “I think the girls are acting a bit psycho. I’m a girls’ girl, please believe me. I would be different and play the game.

“But the reason Adam has jumped ship is that they are acting psycho.”

Asked if she believed Rosie in particular was acting that way, Goodger replied: “Yes, I do! She is so emotionally involved. Enjoy it – you’re a young girl, a solicitor, act a bit more professional, get involved. I can’t believe how she’s acting.

“They are in that game. They are there to find someone they are compatible with. They are not in relationships.”

Viewers were horrified when Adam smirked as Rosie cried when she told him how much he had hurt her by dropping her for government adviser Zara McDermott.

Goodger said: “Women be a bit stronger! Take control, don’t let the boys decide. That’s what I’m trying to get across. They are letting Adam treat them this way.”

Katie Ghose, chief executive of Women’s Aid, told the show: “Some of the things we have seen with his behaviour are making her question her memory of events that have actually happened and that is something in real life, if it goes repeated and unchecked, can form part of a pattern.

“Gaslighting is a particularly horrible form of emotional abuse and it can involve over a long period of time often the partner literally making their partner question what actually happened so that they will begin to, in the worst cases, question their own sanity and they will feel they are always to blame for everything, even the relationship itself.”

Love Island continues on ITV2 at 9pm.