Love Island STAR AMY HART JOINS US FOR AN EXCLUSIVE SHOOT AND REVEALING INTERVIEW, IN WHICH SHE TALKS ABOUT CURTIS, HEARTBREAK AND HER DECISION TO LEAVE THE VILLA
AMY HART TELLS ok!’s KIRSTY HATCHER ABOUT THE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT SHE’S HAD, HER HEARTBREAK AND WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS
Millions of people watched her emotional exit from the villa and she even had celebrities in tears. But Love Island’s Amy Hart says the experience has left her feeling ‘stronger’.
‘Despite my horrible heartbreak, the show has left me feeling more confident about who I am because I’ve been accepted,’ she tells OK! as she tears up and is handed a tissue by her agent.
Celebrities including Peter Andre and Laura Whitmore applauded Amy’s decision to leave the villa for the sake of her mental health when she was dumped by fellow Islander Curtis Pritchard.
Curtis’s head was turned by Jourdan Riane while Amy was in neighbouring villa Casa Amor and he confessed he couldn’t promise to be faithful to Amy. He went on to kiss Maura Higgins and, at the time of going to press, was coupled up with Francesca Allen.
With public support proving so overwhelming for Amy, she arrives at OK!’S shoot with security in tow! ‘I can’t get the train at the moment because it’s too crazy. But I get really bad car sickness so we had to pull over on the way here so I could be sick! I’m going to have to invest in some car sickness tablets,’ Amy laughs as we sit down for a chat at our secret location in London.
‘I’ve read OK! since I was 12,’ she continues: ‘I can’t believe I’m now going to be in it!’ Honest and articulate, Amy – who hadn’t had a boyfriend before entering the villa – is soon showing her former ‘half boyfriend’ Curtis exactly what he’s missing with her new look.
‘I fell in love and broke up with someone for the first time with millions of people watching. I don’t know how long it will take me to get over Curtis because this is all new to me, but I’ve made peace with the situation now. And now millions of people know who I am I’ve got more options!’ she laughs.
Here, self-confessed Love Island super-fan Amy tells OK! about her ‘insane’ new life in the spotlight, ignoring cruel trolls and why she’ll be continuing to have therapy…
How has life been since leaving the villa, Amy?
I can’t get the train at the moment because it’s too crazy. Everyone wants a picture with me and I can’t say no. I can’t leave the house without security! My parents have found it surreal and I’ve had thousands of messages. I had 3,700 Instagram followers before and now I have nearly 900,000! When I landed back at the airport after leaving the villa, a boy shouted at me: ‘Amy! I came here to tell you I love you!’
Did you feel prepared to leave?
I can’t fault Love Island, they’ve been amazing. All my anxieties went away as soon as I left. I went into hiding for two days and they prepared me for things like trolling. I watched a video featuring former Islanders Samira Mighty, Dr Alex and Jamie Jewitt explaining what life will be like. My first night at home in Worthing, I couldn’t sleep so I typed my name into Twitter and the first thing that came up was ‘ugly’. It would have been so easy for me to click on, but I’ve learnt that self-sabotage isn’t healthy. I don’t want any more plastic surgery so, sadly for the trolls, I won’t be changing the way I look. I might get my veneers redone because they’re ten years old, but not because of what people have said.
Have you watched the show back?
I watched my exit but my mum was like: ‘Right turn it off now, you don’t want to see the rest!’ She made me fast forward the bits with Maura and Curtis. I wanted to see the part when I came back from Casa Amor and I’m really crying and my mum said no. My family and friends have been very protective.
Have you watched the kiss between Curtis and Maura?
I chose not to. I’ve seen pictures and it’s not nice. One of the reasons I left was because it wouldn’t have been healthy for me to watch Curtis move on with other girls. There are times when I was insecure towards Curtis but only because I didn’t feel he felt the same as me, which turned out to be true. I felt insecure about the fear of the unknown and how I was being portrayed. A friend said she had to leave a Whatsapp group chat because they couldn’t deal with what was being said about me. I don’t want to know what’s been said, but it’s hurtful as some of it is from apparent friends. A so-called ‘friend’ sold a story saying I’d had four boyfriends and I was lying about never having had a boyfriend – I’d love to know who these four boyfriends were!
Do you regret going on Love Island?
No, but it was 100 per cent the right decision to leave. I felt so awful in there. Some people are saying the producers told me to leave, but it was my decision. As I was leaving, I said to everyone: ‘I don’t fit into groups, people don’t want to be my friend, people think I’m weird, but you all accepted and loved me for who I am,’ [Amy tears up]. Despite my horrible heartbreak, the show has left me feeling more confident about who I am because I’ve been accepted. I went in there looking for a fairy tale. But if Casa Amor hadn’t happened, Curtis and I would’ve sailed along and then he would’ve dumped me when we got out.
There were almost 200 complaints to Ofcom from viewers worried about your mental health...
It’s crazy that people took time to check I’m okay. I was fully supported in there, though. The welfare team come in twice a day to chat to everyone and then, if you were upset, they took you out. You also have access to the 24-hour psych team. At first I was very reluctant to use them – I felt it was weak, but then I realised everyone was using them. I had my therapy in the confines of the villa, you take off your mic and talk freely. I’ve never had therapy before and I didn’t know what I’d been missing. I want to help break the stigma, it’s so good to talk.
How many times did you see the psych team?
The last five days I saw them every day because I was going through such a horrible time. Altogether I had therapy 12 times in the villa. I saw them three times in Casa Amor as I was absolutely beside myself. I lay in bed crying for five days because I was missing Curtis so much. The day I found out we weren’t going back to the villa when I thought we were I just got under the covers and burst into tears. After Casa Amor, Marvin [Brooks] made me go to the gym every day so the endorphins would make me feel better, and Amber gave me her crystal. I clutched it all night but it didn’t work. But I’ve come out stronger and will continue to have full therapy with Love Island; I’m going to be provided with aftercare for the next 14 months and even longer if I still want it.
When new Islanders come in, do they tell you how you’re being perceived on the outside?
They gave their perspective. They weren’t supposed to and they got told off for it. Arabella [Chi] led me to believe that I was absolutely hated, and I may have been at the time, so I feel so lucky to have come out to so much support. If I’d come out when I was getting death threats, I don’t know how I would have coped.
Who told you that you were getting death threats?
It was during my press debrief. My little brother [Sam, 24] struggled with the trolling and my family were stressed. I was devastated and I think they were devastated watching me.
‘i want to help break the stigma, it’s good to talk’
I’d never had a full-time job before and then I started at British Airways as cabin crew. I was always terrified that I was going to get fired. Some people at work were disparaging towards me and I’d often be in new cities by myself. I used to cry every night, I was just miserable.
What got you through?
My mum. She wouldn’t let me quit, she said: ‘Like it or lump it.’ Then I got to know more people and the anxiety started to fade away. It was circumstantial anxiety but those first six months were really hard.
You said part of the reason you left Love Island was so Curtis could be happy. Do you wish you’d been more selfish?
I knew if I stayed I would have gone downhill again. If I kissed someone, I would have been thinking, is Curtis jealous? No? Now I feel s**t. I did have thoughts like, I wish I hadn’t met him, but I know I’d do it all over again. After Casa Amor, I was grieving the loss of my relationship and going through my first big heartbreak and I realised I didn’t know how to be in the
villa on my own. I felt so lonely even though there were 17 other people there. I couldn’t talk to Curtis because he was so robotic towards me – he felt like he was leading me on if he was nice. Towards the end I was just counting down the hours in the day.
Do you think Curtis was playing a game?
No, and I don’t think he’s a sociopath like people have said. Everyone was telling us we were an amazing couple and when you hear something enough times, you believe it. He made a mistake and he could have gone about it a different way but Curtis isn’t a bad person. He’s 23 years old and you shouldn’t know what you want at 23. I really believe we can still be friends and it feels like I’m missing my right arm since I left. We worked out that we spent 720 hours together in the first month – he did also teach me to dance, it just wasn’t shown!
How long do you think it will take you to get over Curtis?
I don’t know what getting over someone is like. I should have had my first love aged 16, not 26. I’m sure I’ll meet some cool people over the next few months and I’m not put off dating. Now millions of people know who I am, I’ll have more options! I want someone manly with a dad bod, and who’s a showman. I want to feel how I did in those first four weeks with Curtis. I’m looking for someone to marry and have kids with.
Have you been inundated with offers?
Yes. I’ve had messages like: ‘I love you, Curtis doesn’t deserve you, I’ll take you to dinner.’ I’ve also had d**k pics!
Could you see you and Curtis reuniting?
He’s not interested. I was willing to give him another chance, learn to trust him again and work hard on myself and I’m still absolutely heartbroken. I still love him and I don’t regret saying that. I do think he liked me and it’s comforting to know he was upset that I left. Whether it’s because he feels guilty, I don’t know. I said to him: ‘I feel like I’ve already won the show because I’ve met someone I see a future with,’ and he said: ‘You’ve made me emotional saying that.’ I want someone who is going to say that back to me. I have so much love to give and I deserve a man who loves me for who I am.
Can you and Maura be friends?
For the sake of everyone else, we’ll be friends. I genuinely believed we were friends. I didn’t warm to her initially, but she’s caring. I’m not saying that her feelings aren’t genuine but I’m not sure she and Curtis are compatible. I don’t believe she’s had feelings for him since day one but it’s not true that the producers told her to chase him. Whoever Curtis ends up with, Maura or Francesca, if they make him happy that’s all I care about. I don’t think he will win, though.
You’ve had some celebrity support, too…
Ferne Mccann was crying over me, and Peter Andre tweeted about me! Laura Whitmore said: ‘You made me cry. I think you’re amazing,’ and then she asked for a photo! It’s so weird. Gabby Allen, Laura Anderson and Zara Mcdermott have all sent me their numbers. Laura even went to my house while I was in the villa!
Who is going to win?
Tommy [Fury] and Molly-mae [Hague], but my winners are Anna [Vakili] and Jordan [Hames]. They would never have met on the outside; they’re what the show is all about.
Will you go back to being cabin crew?
I was going to, but I was in a managerial role and I couldn’t have people taking pictures of me at work.
What would you like to do next?
I’d love to do panto and I think I could be a good TV presenter, too. The dream would also be a collection with In The Style.
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WWW.TWITTER.COM/KIRSTY_HATCHER PHOTOGRAPHS BY LORNA ROACH ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS BY INSTAGRAM, ITV STYLING BY JEFF MEHMET HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY MARCOS GURGEL USING NARS, LAURA MERCIER, BENEFIT AND T3 HAIRCARE
‘I’m looking for someone to marry and have kids with’