Love Island's Ollie Williams denies trophy hunting as he breaks silence on controversial pictures
16 January 2020, 15:57
Ollie Williams has spoken out after quitting Love Island, denying his exit had anything to do with 'trophy hunting' accusations.
Ollie Williams quit Love Island this week after only three days in the villa, confessing his was still in love with his ex-girlfriend.
Now out of the villa, the 23-year-old aristocrat has denied accusations of him being a 'trophy hunter' after controversial images surfaced of him standing next to the bodies of several animals.
In a statement, Ollie said: "I did not shoot any of the animals shown in the photographs nor have I ever shot as a trophy hunter.
READ MORE: Is this Ollie Williams' ex-girlfriend that forced him to quit Love Island?
"I did volunteer to take part in the conservation and anti-poaching programme in Mozambique, a part of which involves old or sick animals being culled. I was there as an observer."
Ollie also said he had "no knowledge" of the stories until he had left the Love Island villa, and that all of the cast members were also unaware.
He also denied that he left the villa for any other reason than to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend, explaining: "My reasons for leaving Love Island are as communicated on the show."
Ollie ended the statement by saying: "The Cornish Sporting Agency was set up in 2017 and has never traded. I feel very passionately about conservation and will continue to support sustainable conservation causes around the globe.
"These benefit the natural world and the animals which live within it, even if certain elements appear controversial when viewed out of context.
"As I am no longer in Love Island, I will comment no further on this issue."
After the pictures first surfaced online, a petition was created to have the landowner kicked off the show, a petition that had 11,000 signatures.
During the time he was in the villa, Ollie's friends denied the accusations he was in to bloodsports, and that he only takes part in conservationist hunting.
They told the Mirror at the time: "Ollie is a passionate conservationist and worked with an anti-poaching unit in Mozambique.
"Conservation is crucial to the survival of animals and as part of that work Ollie was involved in the culling of sick animals who were a threat to the health of the herd.
"There is a very big and important difference between trophy hunting and the conversation work Ollie has previously been involved in.
"At no point has Ollie organised or booked anybody to go to Africa to shoot game."
READ MORE: Why did Ollie Williams quit Love Island? Everything you need to know
