Paige Thorne has revealed the real reason she went on Love Island was because her fiancé broke off their engagement by text.
The reality star, 25, said she was ‘heartbroken’ by the surprise split and became ‘depressed’.
She explained she found out her ex was on Tinder within a week of the breakup, and decided to sign up for the ITV reality show in return.
Motivation: Paige Thorne has revealed the real reason she went on Love Island was because her fiancé broke off their engagement by text
Speaking to Vicky Pattison on her podcast The Secret To, Paige said: ‘The real reason I went on Love Island is the pettiest reason you’ve ever heard Vick, you’re going to cry.
‘I’ll give you the brief version, I won’t bore you right, I was in an 18-month relationship with this guy, it was a Tinder date and ended up in an engagement right.
‘[…] anyway, he texted me one day like “I’m breaking up with you,” out of the blue and I was like, ok, we’re meant to be getting married but whatever.
‘I was like heartbroken and, when I say heartbroken, I went down to seven stone like, I was depressed.
‘Heartbroken’: The reality star, 25, said she was ‘heartbroken’ by the surprise split and became ‘depressed’
‘And then I found out he was on Tinder within like a week and I was like you little s***. Right, if you can do Tinder, well guess what, I can do Love Island then. So, f*** off. And that’s what I did.’
She went on to argue that ‘wifey material’ was no longer the compliment it once was, saying: ‘Do you know what else I’ve learnt right so, apparently, “wifey material” is just code for “mug.”
‘Apparently, my wifey material in this day and age means we’re just going to do her over anyway.’
She declared that she was going to stay single ‘for a very, very long time’ after a string of failed romances, including with fellow Islander Adam Collard who allegedly cheated on her.
Vow: She declared that she was going to stay single ‘for a very, very long time’ after a string of failed romances, including with fellow Islander Adam Collard who allegedly cheated on her (pictured together)
Paige said: ‘I have vowed now that I am going to be single for a very, very long time Vicky, very! It’s not for me anymore. […] In one year, I’ve had three failed relationships and we’re only in October.’
Opening up on her time in the villa, she said she had had to hold herself back at certain points.
She recalled: ‘I remember, the recoupling in Love Island. That, for me, was calm. I was cool, calm and collected, I was not like that on the inside, it took a lot for me.
‘I could have gone psycho, I wanted to go psycho, and I was like just don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it.’
Paige had been coupled up with Jacques O’Neill in the show, before Jacques left the island for his mental health.
Ex flame: Paige had been coupled up with Jacques O’Neill in the show, before Jacques left the island for his mental health
But prior to his exit, Jacques had flirted with and kissed other girls during the infamous Casa Amor episodes, tarnishing his relationship with Paige.
Talking about her decision to walk away from him, Paige said: ‘I was like, if I don’t stop it now, I know that I will really fall too hard, and I will not be able to get myself out.
She revealed that since the show the pair have been in touch and added: ‘We’re on good terms.’
Elsewhere in the chat, Vicky asked Paige about her mental health, admitting she went through ‘a really dark time’.
Held back: Opening up on her time in the villa, she said she had had to hold herself back at certain points
She said: ‘That’s a question that doesn’t get asked a lot, “are you ok?” It really doesn’t.
‘I’ve been through a really tough time since I first came out and everything was going great, it was going fine, and then, obviously, I’ve had all of this stuff going on in the press and, honestly, it’s been a really dark time.
She added: ‘But, I feel like I’ve gone through my dark time now and pulled myself out of it.’
Paige also spoke about returning to her career as a paramedic after leaving the villa.
Frontlines: Paige also spoke about returning to her career as a paramedic after leaving the villa
She said: ‘Do you know what, so far, it’s been really easy. So WAS is the Welsh Admin Service that I work for, for the NHS. They’ve been so supportive […] they’ve literally been amazing with me.
‘When I go and do my paramedic stuff, it’s literally like nothing has changed, I’ve not been on TV, I’m still the same paramedic I always have been and I love that, it’s like me time.
‘It’s like you never ever left and nobody treats you any differently either. Then I can get off the next day and go and do a little shoot in Milan.’
She added: ‘Some of the scenes I witnessed, they really do stick with you and it is just heart-breaking to see how COVID just annihilated people completely but, hopefully, as a country, we’re going to come out of this the other end.’
Vicky Pattison: The Secret To is available to listen to on Acast and all major podcast platforms. New episodes are released every Thursday
Come out the otherside: Elsewhere in the chat, Vicky asked Paige about her mental health, admitting she went through ‘a really dark time’
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