A former Love Island contestant has told people to avoid going on the show. 

Dubliner Shannen Reilly McGrath took part in Season 3 and left after 28 days in the villa. 

Afterwards, she worked as a full-time model and influencer but admits that there are huge downsides to fame. 

“I was actually on the way to a shoot after Love Island and I remember some guy shouting at me on the Luas, ‘You’ve just got off Love Island, what would you be doing on public transport?’” she told The Hard Shoulder. 

“Like proper abusing me and videoing it and it went all over Snapchat and stuff. 

“That was quite harsh.” 

Shannen described the trolling as “constant” and after the pandemic she got a normal job again because the abuse had become “way too much”. 

She warned applicants to consider what impact taking part in the show would have on their mental health before they apply. 

“I think it can really affect your mental health,” she said. 

“I just think it needs to be really, really strong [for you to] come off and feel all the kind of stuff that comes with it.” 

Shannen also warned that despite the show changing contestants’ lives, they receive little in the way of support after they leave the villa. 

“I just think there’s not enough support from ITV and not enough support in general to deal with the little bit of fame or even lots of fame,” she said. 

“I think it’s just a hard industry to be in.”

Research by ThinkMoney estimated that a Love Island finalist can charge in the region of €20,000 for a single social media post.

Main image: hannen Reilly McGrath. Credit: Brightspark Photos/WENN.com