TOWIE star Roman Hackett has hit out at Joe Blackman for “moving on too soon” following his split from Harry Derbidge.
The Sun revealed earlier this month how Harry Derbidge’s ex Joe had moved on with co-star Junaid Ahmed just two weeks after splitting.
Roman, 21, branded the move “wrong” and predicted that his co-stars new romance “won’t last”.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Roman said: “I always go with what’s right and wrong. At the start I didn’t really deep it. There is a scene with Junaid where I spoke to him and said ‘if you’ve got feelings, then you’ve got to express how you feel. It’s better to get it out there than to keep it in’.
“But recently I’ve been thinking the situation is actually mad.
“Harry loved Joe for ages and two weeks later Joe is with Junaid – it’s actually mad.
“It didn’t overlap but in Cyprus they were very close. Harry asked Junaid to look after Joe when they were not talking.
“He looked after him literally.”
Roman admitted he understands where Junaid was coming from, as he drew on his own past experience with co-star Dani Imbert.
He continued: “It’s sad but I get Junaid’s sad, when you have feelings it’s so hard to keep them in. When I had feelings for Dani [Imbert], she was my close friend – I had to express it to feel better.
“That’s what Junaid’s done but at the same time, he was Harry’s close mate.
“So he shouldn’t have done it but he’s done it for himself, but it’s wrong…it’s very wrong.
When asked if he thinks Joe and Junaid’s romance will last the distance, Roman added: “No, I don’t. If I’m being honest, I think from Junaid’s side he has feelings, from Joe’s side, I feel like Joe might do it to make Harry feel like ‘this is what you could have had Harry’.
“Joe’s a lovely boy, but the whole Joe and Junaid thing…it’s very sudden and weird.
“When Joe met Harry, he knew he was going to have that side of fame – Harry’s massive, he’s been on the show for years.
“I reckon Joe loved that, but where he’s on the show now. It just didn’t work out and that happens in relationships.”
It comes after co-star Elma Pazar took a swipe at ex pals Junaid and Joe over their controversial new romance.
Elma said the new relationship has been “challenging” for Harry and she has been supporting the star through the breakup.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, Elma said: “It’s been hard for Harry, I’ve been on the phone to him daily.
“It’s been difficult, challenging and hard work but the only way is up.”
When asked if Joe moved on too quickly, Elma replied: “Rapido, no I didn’t see it coming.
“I loved Junaid, past tense.”
A source told The Sun said that TV favourite Harry was left furious after he discovered text messages between Joe and ex pal Junaid.
This led to Harry and Joe having a blazing row and ending things for good, despite talks of marriage just weeks before.
A source told us: “Harry found messages between Joe and Junaid and it led to a huge argument and them splitting.”
Joe and Junaid have been spotted enjoying dates since they returned to Essex and have grown closer following the Cyprus trip.
They continued: “Since then Joe and Junaid have been spending lots of time together.
“They been spotted on dates around Essex and staying at each others, so it’s only a matter of time before things erupt with Harry.”
The storyline will play out for viewers later this year, as cast members are forced to take sides.
“It’s likely to be a huge storyline on the show – and everyone will be very divided over it,” they added.
“It’s very out the blue and frankly shocking to most of them.”
Clearly feeling betrayed, Harry has since unfollowed ex boyfriend Joe and former best mate Junaid.
Just last week, Junaid and Joe shared matching snaps on Instagram from their evening out together.
The pair, who are enjoying the early stages of their romance, posted a photo of wine glasses while out together at an Essex restaurant.
Someone who will be standing firmly by Harry’s side is his cousin and legendary Towie star Amy Childs, 34.
It seems the drama has already kicked off even before the series has begun – with Amy unfollowing Joe and Junaid on Instagram.
But it looks like there’s no love lost as Joe has also hit the unfollow button on Amy’s profile.