'I dated Love Island's Dejon Noel-Williams and these were my relationship red flags'

Daily Mirror

13 hours ago

EXCLUSIVE: Love Island's Dejon Noel-Williams has been at the centre of a number of flirtations, dramas and accusations of game-playing in the villa - and now one woman from his pre-villa life has shared her experiences
As Love Island continues to deliver nightly twists, tears and tension, one Islander has left viewers divided – 26-year-old Londoner Dejon Noel-Williams.
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Dejon, currently coupled up with Meg Moore, has been at the centre of flirtations, firepit dramas and accusations of game-playing. But now, one woman from his pre-villa life has claimed to new that his behaviour on-screen doesn't come as a surprise. Georgia Mercer, 27, dated Dejon in the months leading up to his villa debut. Their brief relationship began late last year and fizzled out around spring – but in that time, she says, she saw a different side to the man now trying to win £50,000 and (hopefully) someone's heart.
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Speaking exclusively to new, Georgia shares the highs, lows and confusing middle ground of her time with Dejon and says she recognises the very same patterns playing out in front of the nation.
'He was really hot and cold during our time together,' she admits. 'One day he'd really want to hang out, then the next I wouldn't hear from him much. I found it quite bizarre.'
Georgia and Dejon met online and their first real-life meeting came soon afterwards. 'It was pretty quick to be fair… after about two weeks or so we went on a date,' she recalls. At first, things seemed promising. 'In person, he made me feel super comfortable. I always felt really chill with him. He had a really warm energy when we were together,' she says. 'That's the part I liked about him – I didn't feel anxious, which I usually do around new people. It was a strong eight on the feeling scale, to be fair.' But while the energy was there when they were together, Georgia says communication between dates was inconsistent. 'Over text, it was different. He'd try and call me at random times and I'd be like, 'I don't know what you think this is, but… I'm not trying to be casual.''
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The romance lasted around three months, but Georgia says she quickly began to feel something wasn't quite right.
'I sent him a message saying, 'If it doesn't feel like you're serious, this isn't really gonna work,'' she says. 'He said, 'Let's talk on the phone,' but he wanted to do it at 11 at night. I was like, no – and then he just carried on the next day as though nothing happened. I was like, are you just ignoring that big piece of information?'
It was Georgia who ended the relationship. 'I felt like he really did seem to want something, and then the next day it'd be a bit… hot and cold again. Eventually I just said, 'No, I'm not really feeling this.''
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And after things ended? 'He messaged me a few weeks later with a 'Hi, how are you?'' she says. 'I don't think he's great at communication."
Now, watching Dejon as he navigates Love Island, Georgia says there's a sense of déjà vu. His connection with Meg – which began on day one – has looked solid at times. But viewers have picked up on his flirtations with multiple bombshells including Toni, Yasmin, Billykiss, Caprice and Malisha – and more recently, a jaw-dropping moment in a kissing challenge where he gave Yasmin a score of 'zero', prompting a wave of backlash from viewers.
'Honestly, it doesn't surprise me at all,' says Georgia. 'When you're there in person, he's full-on, very affectionate. But when you step back or ask something serious, it's like he's not really listening – or he just avoids it completely.'
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Georgia adds, 'There were moments where I thought he was being honest – and maybe he was – but then you realise later, it's just easier for him to not say how he feels. I said to him once, 'I'm also very chill, just be honest.' But he won't, because then I'm not going to stick around.'
Dejon, a personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, is the son of former Premier League striker Gifton Noel-Williams, and has played for clubs including Oxford United and Bedford Town, as well as competing in HYROX events. Friends describe him as 'driven and competitive' – traits that have served him well in sport and reality TV alike.
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Since coupling up with Meg, the pair have shared kisses and private chats, and he's asked her to be his 'girlfriend'. But viewers have questioned his loyalty, especially following Casa Amor, where Dejon expressed doubts and got to know new girls – only to return to Meg with an apology that many viewers doubted was genuine.
'He's charming,' Georgia admits. 'There's no denying that. He has that energy that makes you feel like you're the only person in the room. But then he walks away and you're not sure where you stand.'
Georgia says she's not bitter. 'I'm not surprised by anything he's doing. It's just who he is. I think, deep down, he's probably a nice guy, but when it comes to commitment, he gets in his own way.' Does Georgia think Dejon and Meg are the real deal? 'I think if he really likes her he needs to show it more, not just say it when it's convenient. But it's hard to know – because that's the thing with Dejon, you never really know.'