Love Island: Ollie Williams breaks silence over ‘trophy hunting’ accusations after quitting ITV2 show

'I was there as an observer,' he said in a new statement

Ollie Williams, the Love island contestant who quit the show after just three days, has responded after facing accusations of trophy-hunting.

The 23-year-old estate owner was at the centre of a petition to remove him from the ITV2 show after photographs obtained by The Sun appeared to show him posing with dead animals.

Williams quit the show after claiming he still had feelings for his ex-girlfriend, though many viewers thought his departure was associated with Ofcom complaints about the images.

Now, Williams has addressed the accusations and denied killing the animals shown in the photos.

"Having left the Love Island house, I have become aware of the press stories circulating in the UK," The Mirror reports him as saying. "I would like to make a number of comments on the various claims and accusations."

He continued: "I did not shoot any of the animals shown in the photographs nor have I ever shot as a trophy hunter. I did volunteer to take part in the conservation and anti-poaching programme in Mozambique, a part off which involves old or sick animals being culled. I was there as an observer."

Williams added that he "had no knowledge of the stories until [he] had left the villa" and said none of his fellow contestants knew about the reports.

"My reasons for leaving Love Island are as communicated on the show," he said.

Love Island continues on ITV2 tonight (16 January) at 9pm.