LOVE Island's Luca has been accused of gaslighting Gemma in an argument last night – but he's been defended by a TV psychologist.

Emma Kenny – best known for giving her expert opinion on This Morning – has insisted the fishmonger isn't being emotionally abusive.

Instead Emma said he's struggling to deal with the "emotional fall out and humiliation" he felt during the Mile High challenge.

The fishmonger was fuming when his partner licked the other boys during a dancing challenge.

He stuck his arm out to stop her from kissing him and when they returned to the villa Gemma sensed his bad mood.

After confronting him, the pair got into their first fiery row – and fans were shocked by Luca's comments.

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He branded her cheeky antics the "worst" out of the girls in the challenge.

It led some viewers to accuse him of gaslighting her – after he'd denied being in a mood.

Gaslighting is a term that is used in coercive control, which relates to abuse, with the intention of confusing a victim and making them question their own reality, memory or perceptions.

Luca wasn’t doing this, insisted Emma.

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She told The Sun: "It is clear that Luca is finding it challenging to separate the competition from his emotional feelings.

"He is clearly struggling with watching someone that he wishes to be in a relationship with being physical with other men.

"Whilst Gemma has done nothing wrong, and indeed is simply engaging with the tasks set out in the show, for Luca watching her lick another man crossed a boundary and he is reacting to this.

"Gemma has nothing to apologise for, and she is clearly aware that Luca needs to manage his feelings in a more mature manner, but this is very different from him being abusive.

"Ideally, they will be able to navigate and negotiate these very normal bumps in the road, which are observed in many new relationships."

Emma believes Luca needs to feel "understood" by Gemma – instead of being slammed as "childish".

She added: "Luca is potentially finding the environment suffocating, overwhelming and personally confronting, and compassion and understanding more likely required than harsh judgement.

"When he was struggling with his feelings, and expressing his struggle he was referred to as childish, and a 12-year-old.

"This is escalatory language and is unhelpful, because it leads to feelings of shame."

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Luca and Gemma were saved in the public vote moments after their massive argument.

Tonight viewers will find out if Danica and Jamie, Paige and Adam or Indiyah and Dami will be dumped from the villa.

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