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Eyal Booker DEFENDS Nadia Essex after Celebs Go Dating trolling drama: ‘everyone makes mistakes’

25 January 2019, 15:27 | Updated: 25 January 2019, 15:35

Eyal appeared alongside Nadia in the last series of Celebs Go Dating. Picture: Getty

Nadia Essex resigned from Celebs Go Dating after it emerged she'd set up fake accounts to troll her co-star Eden Blackman

Love Island star Eyal Booker has jumped to the defence of Celebs Go Dating's Nadia Essex, who caused controversy last year after setting up fake accounts to troll her fellow dating agent Eden Blackman.

Eyal, who was appearing on the series when the allegations came to light, defended Nadia, saying 'everyone makes mistakes'.

Chatting to Heart.co.uk ahead of the release of new reality show Celebs On The Ranch, he said: "It was a shock to everyone, we found out as it all came out in the press and everything.

"I like Nadia, I think she’s a nice lady, i think people make mistakes and thats really it. It was a shock, but Paul [Carrick Brunson] is such an incredible man. He is just wise and knowledgable and gives incredible advice. And so i felt pretty confident that we were still in good hands even though we were an agent down.

The next series of Celebs Go Dating, starring the likes of Georgia Steel and Kerry Katona, will feature Paul Carrick Brunson and Anna Williamson as dating agents.

Eyal and the rest of the Celebs Go Dating cast found out about the controversy while filming. Picture: E4

Nadia set up the fake accounts after Eden Blackman was exposed as having 'cheated' on his girlfriend with a contestant on the show.

Speaking about her decision to set up the accounts, she told The Sun: “After it came out about Eden’s cheating I needed to vent. I wasn’t allowed to speak out as myself because I was warned to keep quiet.

“I felt like I wasn’t allowed my freedom of speech and was told not to put out a public statement. I was in completely the wrong head space. I was a mess. I couldn't leave the house because I was terrified people would hurl abuse at me in the street. People were so angry I wasn’t condemning Eden’s cheating that I was getting abused online constantly.

“I felt like I couldn’t speak up. It was humiliating. I was devastated and petrified and I didn't know what to do. I was depressed and I felt desperate. I am at rock bottom.”

Nadia made the decision to quit Celebs Go Dating soon after the allegations came to light. Taking to Twitter, she posted a quote from TV Presenter Jameela Jamil reading: "I just cannot stay silent any more."I don't care if I'm going down - I'm going down in flames.