Love Island Australia 2021‘s Aaron Waters has defended himself against bullying allegations made by his former co-star Courtney Stubbs.
In January, Courtney detailed her experience of being bullied and body-shamed by Aaron in a tearful video prompted by his latest TV appearance on Love Island UK.
The 25-year-old said she was often “belittled” by her co-star and condemned the show’s producers for failing to uphold a duty of care.
Now, fresh out of the villa, Aaron has told his side of the story on the Where’s Your Head At? podcast, hosted by Love Island alums Matt Zukowski and Anna McEvoy.
The 25-year-old claimed he never mistreated Courtney, nor did he make comments about her body or skin.
“The video frustrated me because I didn’t do those things, we just didn’t get along, but I never bullied you,” he said.
“Do you know what a bully is? The definition of a bully isn’t not getting along with someone.”
“Saying in my interview that she was my least favourite isn’t dragging you through the mud it’s me being honest and being asked questions about my journey and who I was coupled up with,” Aaron continued, referring to his entry promo for Love Island UK.
“We just don’t get along, not everyone gets a long with everyone, so it was very like… ‘what the f**k?'”
Aaron Waters responds to claims he put down Courtney Stubbs in the Love Island Australia villa
Courtney said Aaron broke off their early coupling on the show because she didn’t meet his requirement of someone who “goes to the gym and looks after themselves”.
While the reality star admitted to referencing his preferences in the villa, he didn’t think it was something to get upset over.
Co-host Anna then questioned whether there may have been a miscommunication and whether Courtney perceived these comments to be about her.
“I wouldn’t call it a miscommunication,” he said. “We never saw eye to eye, that’s Love Island, you argue with people.
“I never once told her that [I like a girl with clean skin], I would have never said I don’t like a girl because of their skin.”
Aaron Waters says he would have been kicked off Love Island if he was bullying someone
Aaron went on to say that if he did say those things, he would’ve been booted from the show.
“I didn’t say those things in there, ITV [the production company] wouldn’t have allowed it,” he claimed.
“You get three warnings and I didn’t get one. If you make a derogatory comment, you’re gone, so none of that ever happened.”
Aaron noted that he ran the issue past “someone high up in Australian Love Island“.
“He was gobsmacked,” Aaron recalled. “He said, ‘You can use ITV as a reference because he never saw it happen’.”
The production company is yet to comment publicly on the matter.
Want even more goss? Listen to episode 258 of the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto below!
Know something that we don’t? Spill the tea here!
Get the tea first! Follow So Dramatic! on Instagram and tune in on Tuesdays to get your reality tea fix with the So Dramatic! podcast with Megan Pustetto.
