'She is the ultimate wife': Love Island's Craig Lawson suggests he wants to marry Camilla Thurlow... as he insists the feelings he had for her were 'real' despite being branded a 'game player'

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He had set his sights on the pretty humanitarian worker from the minute he had stepped inside the Love Island villa. 

And after sparking up a 'connection' with Camilla Thurlow during his time on the ITV2 reality show, Craig Lawson has revealed he is keen for romance to blossom between them off screen. 

The personal trainer referred to Camilla as the 'ultimate wife' and defended his 'all guns blazing' approach when it came to wooing her on the show - even if it had prompted fans to question his motives. 

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'She's the ultimate wife': Love Island star Craig Lawson has suggested he would marry Camilla Thurlow in a new interview about his co-star

Craig had arrived as a latecomer to Love Island and was one of six new boys to enter the Love Island villa when the original islanders had been separated. 

The male islanders had been moved into Casa Amor and were forced to live with five new girls, while a bevy of new guys replaced them in the show's original pad. 

Craig had made a beeline for Camilla on his arrival, admitting he only had eyes for her after watching the show before making his debut. 

He became a shoulder to cry on for Camilla, following her heartbreak over being dumped by Jonny Mitchell, but while she did seem keen on things progressing between the duo at first, she soon cooled off any prospect of romance. 

Flirt: The personal trainer had left an impact on newly jilted Camilla in the Love Island villa, after 'lifting her spirits' with his compliments following her failed romance with Jonny Mitchell

Over: Jonny had decided to end things with Camilla so he could pursue Tyla Carr instead

Shortly after re-coupling with Craig, Camilla told the reality star that she was still 'hurt' over her previous failed relationship with Jonny and it was holding her back from moving on with somebody new. 

But hopeful that the duo could rekindle something on the outside, Craig has revealed in a new interview with Daily Star, that he is keen to stay in touch with the blonde beauty. 

He said: 'It would be a shame if there wasn't any romance. I'd love to see her and see if things could progress - she is the ultimate wife.'

Craig may have his work cut out for him, however, as Camilla has now coupled up with newcomer Jamie Jewitt, following two successful dates with the former Taking New York star. 

Here come the boys: Craig (far right) entered the villa to shake things up alongside five other new boys - making a beeline for Camilla just moments after joining the show

Competition: While Craig may still be keen for a romance to form between himself and the humanitarian worker, she is currently being wooed by Calvin Klein model Jamie Jewitt

Choosing Camilla to pair with on Friday's re-coupling, Jamie had said about her: 'I came into the villa with a lot of curiosity about a certain someone. Two dates later turned into a lot more intrigue, I want to see where that might lead.'

While fans seem to be championing the pair's union, Craig was subject to a backlash for pursuing Camilla during his stint in the villa. 

Viewers had dubbed him 'creepy Craig' after he was constantly seen showering Camilla with compliments, with many branding him a 'game player' and purposely going after Camilla as she is a popular contestant on the outside. 

Hitting back at such claims, Craig added: 'Being accused of pretending was probably the worst thing for me. The feelings I had were real.'

Backlash: Craig failed to win over some of the viewers, who dubbed him 'creepy Craig' after he showered Camilla in compliments

'The feelings I had were real': Hitting back at being branded a 'game player', Craig insisted his decision to pursue Camilla had been completley genuine

He had previously told MailOnline: 'My feelings in there were genuine. I was pretty cut up about it when it didn't work. I wouldn't have said what I said and I wouldn't have been down about it if I wasn't genuine.

'I wore my heart on my sleeve but I'm like that. I go 100 percent in or nothing.

'My mates always take the p**s out of me because I am a bit of a sop when it comes to women. At the same time, she needed me to get over Jonny and if I made her two three days better in there better then I'm fine with that.' 

While filming for the show, Craig found himself at the centre of claims he had 'ditched' his two children to appear on the dating series. 

However, he has since set the record straight and insisted he had left a video for his sons to see, explaining his absence. 

Video message: Craig sent his children a video message recorded from the island explaining his decision to keep the big move a secret

Craig told MailOnline: 'I was sworn to secrecy before going on the show, but I did leave a video for my kids with my mum to show the kids - telling them I wish I could've told them.

'If my ex is bitter about that I can only apologise. But at the same time I had no bad intentions, it was just something I had to do for myself.' 

Talking via Facetime directly to his children, Craig says in the clip he had recorded: 'Alright boys. If you're watching this then you'll have seen I'm on Love Island now.'

'I wanted to tell you before but I couldn't everything had to be kept really quiet. But I just want you to know that I really wanted to tell you and I love you. 

'Hope you see me having fun, I'm doing this for us so that we have a better future.  I hope you're proud of me and you laugh and see me having fun.'

Before adding: 'I'll see you all when I get back, I love you.'

Raging: Sian claimed that Craig left three children behind who were 'excited' to see him this weekend  to go into the villa 

Despite his sentiments, Craig had appeared to anger his ex Sian - the mother of his children who he had been previously engaged to - and she hit out at him in a public Facebook post to claim the Essex lad had 'abandoned his children' to appear on Love Island.

Sian claimed he didn't have the 'decency' to tell her he was going into the villa or make different arrangements for his son for the upcoming weekend.

'I am fully aware that the disgrace who calls himself my son's father is going into Love Island,' she wrote.

'He is dead to me and he is dead to my son. He has not even had the decency to contact me regarding this and regarding arrangements for my son.

Former flames: A series of photos that Craig posted on his Twitter account showed that he had proposed to Sian over a candlelit dinner in 2015 

'Up until last night I was under the impression that my son was going to spend the weekend with him like he does every other weekend.'

Sian, from Hampshire, added: 'He is an absolute joke of a human being. What he does with his life will no longer affect my children or myself. 

'May he fall flat on his face. I hope it was all worth it.'

Sian also shut down another commenter who wrote: 'Bet the mother won't moan about the money when it comes in tho will she?'

She wrote: 'I am the mother. Some things are bigger than money. Like his children.'

Contacting MailOnline in response to Sian's claims, Craig's management- who also represent Amy Childs, said: 'We have just spoken to Craig’s family and they have advised that the reason for Craig’s split with her former partner is because she had an affair.' 

Craig had been voted out of the villa by his fellow islander Montana Brown. In a surprise elimination, Montana was told she had to choose which boy to dump after being voted the favourite girl by the public. 

She was forced to chose between Jonny and Craig as they found themselves in the bottom three boys. Nathan Joseph was immediately given the boot after being named the least popular boy by the public. 

Exit: Craig had been voted out of the villa by his fellow islander Montana Brown. In a surprise elimination