A LOVE Island star suing his reality TV ex broke his silence last night and insisted he had no alternative but to begin legal action.
Lochan Nowacki, 27, said he was forced to act after Whitney Adebayo, also 27, accused him of making a racial slur.
Love Island’s Lochan Nowacki hit back at Whitney Adebayo over racism allegations[/caption]
An image shared by Whitney on Instagram contained a caption making the claim[/caption]
She claimed he called her skin “dirty” in an online video viewed a staggering 3.5 million times.
Whitney also claimed his mum joked “where’s Whit gone? Whit smile” when the lights went out at his home.
He is now preparing to sue her for defamation and malicious falsehood at London’s High Court.
We revealed the blockbuster legal battle after insiders branded it ‘Love Island’s Wagatha Christie’.
In his statement, Lochan said: “A series of posts have been released making defamatory comments about my family, friends and I.
“I never wanted things to reach this stage, and I did try to take this situation through to resolution.
“I felt I was left with no other choice but to take this course of action.
“Taking this step was not about taking anything from Whitney, it’s about protection, it’s about clearing the serious reputational damage that has been caused to me and my family.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I categorically deny and refute the information that has been spread about my family and myself online.
“I have no desire to prolong this situation.
“More than anything, I want to close this down and for us both to move forward separately.”
Distraught Lochan has instructed legal powerhouse Brandsmiths, the same lawyers who represented David Williams in his legal dispute with Britain’s Got Talent.
The case is due to get underway in the coming weeks.
A source said his ‘particulars of claim’ – a formal legal outline of the case – have been drafted and the case is ready to go.
Lochan’s mum, Kulminder, will also be named in the action.
A spokeswoman for Whitney said: “Whitney has instructed her own legal team and is very confident in her position.
“If any claim is issued by Mr Nowacki, it will be vigorously defended.”
The couple starred in the 2023 series of the ITV2 dating show and were the bookies’ favourite to win the final.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I categorically deny and refute the information that has been spread about my family and myself online.
Lochan Nowacki
But they were beaten into second place by Sammy Root and Jess Harding.
The pair split up in April before trading blows online.
In her TikTok video Whitney said: “We were walking back from lunch, going back to his place, and I was like, ‘babe, look how my skin glistens in the sun’.
“And he looked at me and he was like, ‘ugh, it’s dirty’.
“And then only when I lashed out, he was like, it was a joke, it was a joke. He was crying.
“He called all my family members, saying it was a joke, it was a joke.
“But you guys know I have dark humor, so I know when something’s a joke and when something’s being said seriously.”
Whitney, who has 705,000 followers on Instagram, added: “When I used to come to your house, what did your mum used to say to me?
“Guys, the lights would go off, and she would say, ‘oh, where’s Whit gone? Whit, smile’.
“And that was an on-running joke in that household.”
Lochan denies calling her skin dirty and insists his comment was not racist.
Lochan has protested his innocence[/caption]
Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowack on Love Island: The Reunion[/caption]