During the Love Island 2026 finale, host Maya Jama addressed a controversial comment made earlier in the season by contestant Priya, who had told fellow Islander Elicia to 'go back' to her job at National Rail. The remark sparked accusations of classism from viewers and drew responses from the RMT Union and Trainline.
Priya's Explanation on the Finale
Priya, a 25-year-old business development manager, used the reunion-style segment to clarify her intentions. 'It was obviously not meant to be a job-shaming comment,' she explained. 'At the end of the day, I was telling you, go back to your day job and kind of keep my name out of your mouth.' She emphasised that her comment was not about Elicia's employer but about the context of their argument.
Reactions and Apologies
Earlier, Priya had apologised on Aftersun, calling her remark 'completely out of line' and 'catty,' noting that emotions in the villa had become 'heightened.' The RMT Union reshared the clip on Instagram with the message 'Rail workers and proud,' while Trainline posted a TikTok captioned 'Come for Elicia, come for us all.' During the finale, Priya directly apologised to Elicia, who responded: 'I’m proud of my job and I work my a*** off. There’s no hard feelings; we’ve swept everything under the rug. She’s an amazing person!'
Public and Islander Reactions
Viewers on social media were divided. Some supported Priya, with one user tweeting: 'Priya meant go back to your job rather than slagging her off. And tbf she isn't wrong??' Others criticised her, but many noted the comment was taken out of context. Fellow Islander Kavan remarked, 'There’s nothing wrong with working on the National Rail,' as his partner Jasmine and Mica laughed at the original comment.
