BOLTON joiner Joshua Ritchie is returning home from a television dating show as a single lad and without a wad of cash in his back pocket.

The 21-year-old came in third place on ITV2's Love Island which saw single contestants couple up in a bid to win £50,000.

He paired up for the final with Lauren Richardson, the woman at the centre of One Direction's Zayn Malik's Thailand photograph scandal.

Joshua, whose mother runs an estate agents in Chorley Old Road, and Lauren were the only couple in the final not to be romantically involved.

He had previously been seen coupled up with other girls on the show, Jess Hayes and Naomi Ball, but the relationships did not last. 

Describing Lauren as like a big sister, Joshua said:"We've got such a good friendship, we came in here together and it would have been weird to leave without her."

The show was won by Jess and Max Morley, who chose to split the prize money.