Reality star Georgia Steel has said her family and friends received death threats while she was on Love Island: All Stars.
The 26-year-old featured on the fourth series of the hit ITV dating show in 2018 and returned for the All Stars version in January where she placed fourth in her couple with islander Toby Aromolaran.
During her time on the show, a statement was posted to her Instagram which said Steel had been subject to "vile threats and nasty messages".
Speaking about the online trolling to Sky News, Steel said: "I don’t think anyone can kind of prepare you for that. You don’t really know how to process that if I’m honest, you’re quite scared, you don’t know if the whole world hates you.
"I felt like everyone hated me," she said.
"My family and my friends, they had death threats," she said. "My mum got messages – 'How could you raise a girl like this?’ Yeah, which is awful, because like in reality… I just want to make the people that support and love me proud."
Speaking to the trolls, she added: "Would you really say it to their face? And also would you be happy if the consequences were really bad? It could just take that one comment that tips someone over the edge."
Steel proved a highly controversial figure on the show earlier this year, and found herself under fire after several clips showing her connecting with different contestants were played during the PDA Awards – sparking criticism online.
A spokesperson from ITV said at the time: "We would always urge our viewers to be kind when engaging in social media conversations about our Islanders, and to remember that they are real people with feelings."
Steel confirmed last week that she and Aromolaran's relationship had ended.
Source: Press Association
