Joshua Ritchie hits back at criticism over flying to Dubai amid coronavirus pandemic

He did NOT hold back

Joshua Ritchie

by Nathan Katnoria |
Updated on

Joshua Ritchie has hit back after being criticised online for ditching the UK and jetting off to Dubai amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Love Island and Celebs Go Dating star is among the reality telly and influencer types who have flocked to the Middle East hotspot to escape the restrictions imposed by the government in recent months and found himself being called out by one of his followers during a Q&A on Instagram.

After asking fans for questions, Josh got a bit more than he bargained for when one wrote, “Why are all Love Islanders abroad? Do you know there's a pandemic? Few following = do what you want.”

Joshua didn’t take the criticism lying down though and scathingly bit back, “I would just like to educate this bellend.

“Yes, I’m aware, yes, I’ve been living here for about two and a half months, yes, I had a corona test before I went and yes, I’ve been following the rules, so what the f--k has it got do with you?”

He then added, “And on that note, go suck yourself.”

Charming.

CHECK OUT Celebs Go Dating's most outrageous moments

Gallery

Celebs Go Dating most outrageous moments - SLIDER use this one

The fall of Stephen Bear1 of 36
CREDIT: E4

The fall of Stephen Bear

After a few episodes of Stephen Bear acting as Stephen Bear-ish as it's possible to act, Nadia and Eden decided they'd had enough and chucked him out the agency. Good riddance.

Stephen Bear2 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Stephen Bear asks for threesome

Speaking of Stephen Bear, remember when he asked those twins for a threesome? Good lord.

Now we think about it, everything Stephen Bear did was outrageous3 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Stephen Bear

Now we think about it, everything Stephen Bear did was outrageous. Poor blue lips...

Joey Essex's burp date4 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Joey Essex's burpy date

Some poor old girl who managed to score a date with Joey Essex ended up burping on his face throughout the entire thing. What a nightmare.

Jonathan Cheban dates a Kim Kardashian lookalike5 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Jonathan Cheban dates Kimmy K lookalike

This just couldn't have been more classic, could it? Things (obviously) didn't work out, and Kim Kardashian lookalike Chanelle Sadie Paul ended up having an alleged sordid affair with dating agent Eden Blackman. But that's a whole other story...

Gemma Collins stands up poor old Laurence :(6 of 36
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Gemma Collins stands up poor old Laurence :(

Gemma Collins successfully managed to anger the entire nation after failing to turn up to the Eurostar for her Parisian date with Laurence.

Joey Essex dates a cougar...7 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Joey Essex dates a cougar...

She wanted to dress him as a pony, for some reason.

... and Calum Best dates a cougar8 of 36
CREDIT: E4

... and Calum Best dates a cougar

He looks like he had a wonderful time.

Frankie Cocozza and Charlotte Dawson break the rules and date each other9 of 36

Frankie Cocozza and Charlotte Dawson break the rules and date each other

They were the first celebrity couple to hook up with each other on the show. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be. And Frankie is now happily married to someone else.

CGD outrageous moments10 of 36

Their double date ends in awks

Both Frankie and Charlotte's dates ended up walking out of the double date set up by the agents after they couldn't stop gushing about the other.

CGD outrageous moments11 of 36

And then MARRIED EACH OTHER

Yes, this is a real thing that actually happened and the snubbed dates, Kieran Patel and Katie Champ are still together.

Charlotte Dawson bum massage12 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Charlotte Dawson bum massage

Charlotte Dawson made an impression (of sorts) on one of her first dates by giving a bum massage in a busy pub. Not sure where that lotion came from.

Calum Best stands his date up13 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Calum Best stands his date up

Calum got in hot water with the dating agents after failing to show up to one of his dates.

Gemma Collins storms out of date after he called her 'a diva'14 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Gemma Collins storms out of date after he called her 'a diva'

She got up an left like a diva after he called her, er, 'a diva'. Well, she did show up about an hour late...

Charlotte Crosby spits milk during her date15 of 36

Charlotte Crosby spits milk during her date

Playing hot sauce roulette on a first date was never going to end well...

Jorgie Porter's date wants to see her on the loo16 of 36

Jorgie Porter's date wants to see her on the loo

After telling her that he'd Googled her before the date, Jorgie's date casually mentioned he'd like to watch her on the toilet. Wow.

Courtney Stodden's date gets x-rated17 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Courtney Stodden's date gets x-rated

Courtney Stodden shocked viewers after getting her date to rub sun cream on her chest.

Charlotte Crosby dates a massive sexist18 of 36

Charlotte Crosby dates a massive sexist

When Charlotte told Jeavon (who also dated Love Island's Malin Andersson) that she'd slept with 20 men, he said: "that is bad, for a lad it's not that bad." Despite the fact he claimed to have slept with 50.

Joey Essex and Stephanie Pratt find love with each other19 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Joey Essex and Stephanie Pratt find love with each other

They broke the rules, but was it worth it? Erm. Probably not, no. Because it lasted about two minutes.

Ferne McCann refuses to split the bill20 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Ferne McCann refuses to split the bill

After ordering a frankly humungous amount of food, Ferne didn't offer to help pay the bill at the end of the date. She later burst into tears in the dating agency after the guy gave her a bad review for not doing so.

Tom Read WIlson admits he doesn't know who Kim Kardashian is21 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Tom Read Wilson admits he doesn't know who Kim Kardashian is

But... how?

CGD outrageous moments22 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Megan McKenna and Pete Wicks reunion

Megan and Pete had a notoriously rocky relationship on TOWIE, so putting them on the same series was a stroke of TV GENIUS.

CGD outrageous moments23 of 36
CREDIT: ITV

Kerry Katona's rude date

When Kerry Katona's date implied her children had been a "mistake", she handled it like a pro – but the nation watched from between their fingers.

CGD outrageous moments24 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Jack Fincham and the Waitress

Jack Fincham was set up with a lovely girl called Carol by the agents, but admitted by the end he wasn't feeling it. Instead he got the barmaid's number, and ended up taking her to the final in Tenerife.

CGD outrageous moments25 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Jack Fincham's first date

Jack Fincham abruptly ended the date he wasn't feeling by telling his date he was "tired" and had "had enough", before demanding she finish her glass of wine en route to the door.

CGD outrageous moments26 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Jack Fincham's second date

He then got set up with an Italian called Chiara, but quickly took offense when she made a joke about one of the bartenders, calling them over and insisting she'd rather be on a date with them, instead.

CGD outrageous moments27 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Lee Ryan gets pied

Ha! Ha, ha ha.

CGD outrageous moments28 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Lady C's sexual innuendos

Just like narrator Rob Beckett said, the woman is an absolute SAUCE POT - just check out her traffic light analogy. Blimey.

CGD outrageous moments29 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Malique Thompson-Dwyer's 'predatory' flirting

After getting slammed by viewers for his 'predatory' flirting at the first mixer, Malique offended one of his dates when he was forced to date two women at the same time, and made his preference for Jakeeme clear - with Danica storming off as a result. awks.

CGD outrageous moments30 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Tom's birth affirmations

Anna Williamson is heavily pregnant in series eight and so lovable receptionist Tom devises some birth affirmations in case her waters break at work - "which could happen", points out Anna.

CGD outrageous moments31 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Amy Childs showed her deep and intellectual side...

When she asked her date, "If you were a sandwich, what would you be?"

CGD outrageous moments32 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Malique ACTUALLY fell in love!

And then immediately fell out of it the following morning, after he "had sex all night" with his date, Jakeeme. He was - quite rightfully - told off by Anna and Paul.

CGD outrageous moments33 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Liv Bentley walked out on her date

He was "late, stand-offish and entirely humourless" (fair), but his incessant talk of "pumping" was the final straw for Liv, who left halfway through (also fair).

CGD outrageous moments34 of 36
CREDIT: E4

But he was totally convinced she was into him

Despite Liv doing a runner in the middle of their drinks, self-confident Otto was still convinced Liv fancied him and accused her of making "f-ck me eyes" across the table. CRINGE.

CGD outrageous moments35 of 36
CREDIT: E4

Amy Childs' toilet 'romp' with Jamie

Does this take the biscuit for CGD's most outrageous moment? During a double date with Olivia Bentley, Amy STRADDLED her date in the restaurant before scuttling off to the toilets, returning later looking dishevelled. They claimed to have only kissed... but we weren't born yesterday, hun.

CGD outrageous moments36 of 36
CREDIT: Channel 4

Paul Carrick Brunson QUITS

Just days after Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion came to end, love guru Paul Carrick Brunson seemingly revealed he's quit the show after a behind the scenes bust-up with one of the show's 'disrespectful' celebs. We need to know more ASAP.

The 26-year-old clearly doesn’t have plans to return to the UK any time soon as when asked how much longer he’ll be in Dubai for, he answered, “Couldn’t tell you. How long is a piece of string? Dunno.”

He also revealed he’s plotting a trip to Bali, as well as a holiday to Ibiza later this year.

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Shaughna Phillips' secret boyfriend EXPOSED?

This all comes after Josh slammed his “bitter” ex Charlotte Crosby after she appeared to throw shade when he signed up to X-rated subscription site OnlyFans.

After the reality star told his Instagram followers they could sign up to see his exclusive content for £11.63 a month, Charlotte was clearly amused as she tweeted “LOL” and shared a GIF of Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon rolling her eyes.

“So, I’ve been told that a certain somebody is throwing shade on me doing OnlyFans. I thought she was happy and all this but she’s still throwing shade on me, bless her,” Josh responded in a video on his Instagram story.

Appearing to address Charlotte directly, he then added, “Do us a favour though, if you want. Send us all my d--k pics and that, I could do with some content on OnlyFans. Have a good night.”

Joshua Ritchie on Love Island

Cast your mind back and you may remember that before he was Mr Charlotte Crosby, Josh was on the first ever series of Love Island in 2015. He didn't find love on the show, but managed to make a reality career off the back of it so, swings and roundabouts, eh?

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