In the wake of Series 7 of Love Island and a record number of Ofcom complaints, Megan Barton Hanson has opened up about the “traumatic” experience she had after leaving the show in 2018.
The stunning star, 27, has revealed how difficult it was to cope with when she left the villa.
Megan said she was offered optional therapy sessions by ITV but said no, and now wishes she’d taken them up.
She now admits she “wasn’t prepared” for what would happen after the show, most notably the “backlash” she received because of her plastic surgery.
Before entering the show, Megan previously worked as a glamour model.
(Image: Megan Barton Hanson/Instagram)
Recalling her time in series 4 of the show, she revealed one islander told her that topless videos of her were being featured on adult sites.
She said: “I wasn’t prepared for the backlash about my plastic surgery and what I looked like before.”
Megan soon became fixated with checking her social media, admitting: “It’s not healthy to be on social media all the time.”
(Image: ITV)
“You’ll end up reading nasty comments from weeks back, when you were still on the show, and that can be quite traumatic.”
Following the deaths of two previous Islanders, as well as host Caroline Flack over the last few years, ITV strengthened their duty of care to contestants.
They now receive psychological support and training on using social media and handling potential negativity.
(Image: ITV)
They are also advised on financial management and taking on management teams.
Megan is happy that the therapy sessions are now compulsory, instead of optional as they were for her.
She said: “I think it’s really good Islanders are given compulsory therapy sessions. We also had a therapist available, but I was on such a high during and afterwards, I felt like I didn’t need it. In hindsight, maybe I should have done it.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
