A LOVE Island contestant has apologised for “controlling” behaviour on the show.

Fans shared their concerns when Connor Durman lost his temper with love interest Sophie Piper after she celebrated the arrival of two new boys into the TV dating show’s villa.

Connor, 25, who lives in Worthing, said he felt “mugged off” by her reaction and pulled the 21-year-old aside to “speak to her”.

She explained she had only been “joking with the girls”.

But Connor failed to see the funny side as Sophie was chosen by new boy, 6ft 3in model Connagh Howard, to go for a date and later shared a smooch with him in a game of “beer pong dares”.

Fans called the behaviour “controlling” with one viewer saying: “Connor is so controlling having the audacity to talk to Sophie like that, I’m fuming.”

Ofcom received a series of complaints about the incident.

Even the narrator, comedian Iain Stirling, spoke out about Connor’s actions in an interview with the Radio Times.

He said: “I feel he is demonstrating some very classic male traits.

“We are brought up in this alpha environment where any attack on our masculinity is questioned.

“We will see ourselves as weak or less or will have less value.

“It’s not a good look. He felt belittled because his masculinity is questioned. And he dealt with it in a way that is less than ideal.”

But other fans argued his behaviour was understandable.

One said: “I don’t understand how people can say Connor has been controlling.

“A bit insecure maybe, but definitely not controlling. It’s ridiculous.”

On Thursday’s show, Connor told Sophie he regretted his behaviour after she told him she was “not jumping ship”.

He said: “I feel bad for coming across like a bit of a t*** last night.

“I didn’t mean to.”