Young people put too much emphasis on being in relationship, says TV star Emily

Atack has said she wishes she knew her own self-worth when she was in her early 20s as she criticised the pressure on young people to be in relationships.

The TV star (29), who will host new ITV2 dating show Singletown alongside Joel Dommett, said she felt huge amounts of empathy for the show’s young contestants.

Emily (right) said: “I wish I had known my own self-worth and how f ****** great I was, because I know now.

“I do and I am in a happy relationship now, but if it wasn’t to work out I would be okay.

“Yes it would be sad but I know that I have grown to like who I am as a person.

“I am the most complicated and flawed person ever but I have now met someone who can accept all those so now I know that love is out there.

“There is so much pressure on people to be in a relationship, especially young people. It’s like ‘my boyfriend, my girlfriend’.

“If I was younger I wish I could have told myself that being single was okay because I was always in relationships, I went from relationship to relationship to relationship because I was so frightened of being on my own.

“I wish I had found that strength to be on my own earliEMILY er and just know my worth and know that I am a strong and very capable person.”

Discussing how dating has changed since she first started, Atack said: “There are so many options with all the dating apps. I’m so glad they weren’t really a thing when I was that age.”

Atack added that the rise of dating apps and social media means there is increased pressure on young people to look a certain way. Singletown, which follows five couples who put their relationships on pause to explore single life in London, begins on ITV2 at 9pm on September 2.