Joey Essex Is Ready to 'Take on' the U.S. After Becoming a Huge Reality Star in the U.K.: 'I Believe the Woman of My Dreams Is in America'

U.K. heartthrob Joey Essex has been on his fair share of reality shows over the years, but when he decided to step into the villa on Love Island UK this past summer, it was no easy feat.

"For me to go on Love Island UK and it not to get leaked was like a huge deal. The producers were like, 'This is going to get out. We're not going to be able to keep it a secret,' but it was up to me to keep it quiet, which was important to me," the 34-year-old exclusively tells OK!.

When Essex got to the villa, "it was a jaw-dropping moment" for everyone. "They were thinking, 'Is is here to host or to say hello? What's he doing? Is he here to play a game with us for the next hour?'" the star recalls. "I was like, 'Nice to meet you, I'm Joey.' They were like, 'We know who you are.' I was like, 'I'm here for the show.' Everyone was confused. "Even Maya Jama [host of Love Island] only found out five minutes before I walked in. It was big."

Two years ago, Essex started to put the plan forward. "It was a joke, but I was also serious. We sent a video to someone on the show who used to work with me back in the day when I first started on The Only Way Is Essex. I was like, 'If you want a real bombshell, you know who to call.' He was like, 'It will never work.' I was then training for a boxing fight for about six months, but I came back to the U.K. and trained at one of my uncle's gyms. My phone started going off, and my manager was like, 'Who are you with?' I was like, 'I'm on my own.' We talked, and he was like, 'What's the show you've always thought it would be cool to be on? I just had a call with them.' He was like, 'This is a huge secret and no one can know about this.' I didn't even tell my sister or dad!"

After making a splash in the U.K., Essex "wants" to move to the U.S. to explore new opportunities. "I'm going to buy a property out here next year. I've got some projects coming up next year, so I'm looking forward to it," he says. "New stuff is exciting and challenging for me. There are shows I haven't done yet because I've probably declined them, but the next challenge for me is taking on America. That's a challenge in itself!"

Essex has popped up in the U.S. already, as he starred in one scene during Season 8 of Selling Sunset.

"I went to this party, and I met Chelsea Lazkani from Selling Sunset there. She was on me that night, saying I should come on the show or view houses. I was like, 'I am just looking for houses.' I went with my friend to the gym one day, and we were walking down the road, and we see this restaurant. There was a security guard there, and we walked to the front and Chelsea was facing toward me. I was shocked! She ran over and the cameras were on me, and here I am filming a scene on Selling Sunset," he recalls. "It all sort of happened naturally. Chelsea then wanted to show me a house, so we went, and it was a great opportunity. It was fun, and I enjoyed filming. It was different, and it's a great show."

Since appearing on the real estate show, Essex has "noticed" a huge increase in followers — and people even recognize him when he's in major cities! "I was at Café Maud recently, and this woman came up to me, saying she worked at the restaurant — but she didn't!" he quips. "I was like, 'Do you want a picture?' Then the guy was like, 'She doesn't work here.'"

Still, Essex remains "humble" after being in the spotlight since rising to fame for his appearances on the ITV reality series The Only Way Is Essex, which ran from 2011 to 2013.

"I was literally a complete dropout as a child. I was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, and I had nothing going for me in school. I did terrible. I was a bit difficult, and school was really hard for me," he shares. "My dad used to work in a fish market, and I eventually left school and ended up at the market. I later got sacked from there! I used to look up at the city of London and be like, 'That's where I want to work.' I then went on serve tea, but I got sacked from there too. I was promoting clubs at one point, and I eventually got an opportunity to go on television. I knew nothing about TV — I didn't even watch it. I watched cartoons as a kid. That was it."

"One day I went on TV. I didn't know what I was doing," he continues. "It just blew up. I didn't even know I could make money from it. I took an opportunity, and it worked out. I was born to be on TV, which is why I'm so grounded because if it wasn't for television, I don't know where I would be right now or what I'd be doing. I would probably still be at the fish market or serving tea!"

Now that Essex is established and ready for his next adventure, he'd also love to dive into the fashion world. "That interests me a lot, so I definitely want to try that and get into the fashion scene in L.A. and New York," he notes. "I love fashion."

"I've always wanted to buy a place abroad," he says of what's on his bucket list, which he made years ago. "Live somewhere warm, find the girl of my dreams and product or an act in a film about my own life or a documentary. My life is very interesting — even before I went on TV."