It might look like paradise on our TV screens, but not everyone agrees.
Former Love Island star, Zara Holland, has spoken out in a new video interview about the challenges she’s faced since her time on the show in 2016.
Speaking in a BBC video, Zara admits: “I’ve been seeing my own psychiatrist and psychologist since January, and I’m on anti-depressants.”
She went on to reveal: “I was just not the same girl that I was [before]. I would be so upset all the time, I would be tired. It was really hard, really hard.”
The former Miss Great Britain – who was stripped of her title thanks to her appearance on the show – added that she had “death threats,” afterwards, and would torture herself by reading all the awful comments from viewers.
Zara, now 22, also pulled back the curtain on the reality show, claiming it was, “so controlled in there” and calling it a, “posh prison”.
She claims two producers live in the villa alongside contestants, coaching them on what to do and talk about, and even telling them when to sleep and eat.
Read more: As Love Island’s Georgia and Sam exit, fans rage over Josh “pulling faces”
It follows the shocking death of her friend and fellow Love Island star, Sophie Gradon, in June. The pair appeared on the same series of the show and Zara admitted that the loss “still doesn’t seem true.”
Taking to Instagram after the funeral service earlier this month, Zara wrote: “On Thursday I said my goodbyes to our beautiful Sophie, along with her Family and friends.
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