Eliminated Love Island star Brad McClelland has admitted he wishes Lucinda Strafford had chosen to leave the villa with him. 

Wednesday night’s episode saw the couple forced to agree on which of them should leave the show, after the public voted them the least compatible pairing. 

Fans watched Brad quickly assert that he should be the one to go, having been in the villa for longer, insisting it would be a great opportunity for Lucinda to stay. 

Despite also being given the choice to leave together, Lucinda opted not to – something which drew criticism from Faye Winter.

While he initially encouraged Lucinda to stay, Brad has now had a change of heart about how things played out, admitting his disappointment that she did not come with him. 

Speaking the morning after his exit, Brad said: “On the night, it was one of them situations where, I didn’t want her to leave [with me]. The way we had a connection, it would be really nice to take what we had and continue it on the outside.

“I woke up this morning and I wish we had left together. I want to see where that could have went. Not being able to speak to Cind, or ask her where she’s at, I want to know how she’s woke up this morning.”

Asked if he will wait for Lucinda, Brad said: “Do you wait for like six weeks, hoping that she isn’t [with someone] and then missing opportunities? Or do you rush in and forget about Cind and move on…? I’m in no rush. I didn’t expect to find anyone like her in there.

“To answer that question, I really don’t know. My gut instinct would be to wait it out, see where it’s at and continue on, just to see if it was a good thing. It started off more than well. It was unreal. It would be sad not to see how it would go on the outside.”

He added: “If Cinds leaves single, I’ll be straight in her DMs, I’ll get myself down to Brighton and see if we’re going to go for an ice-cream along the beach.”

Brad also said he would return to the villa given the chance, admitting his biggest regret is “not being in there longer”. 

Love Island continues on Thursday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub.