Jess Hayes says, “I hit rock bottom after leaving the villa on Love Island, and looking back on it makes me feel sick.”

LOVE Island’s Jess Hayes has spoken out about the negative aspects of her newfound fame.

After “hitting rock bottom” and “asking to leave” the villa, Jess, a contestant from the first series in 2016 who won with Max Morley, has said she feels “sick” thinking about her experience there.

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Now, eight years after leaving the Spanish villa, Jessica is opening up about her time on the show and her subsequent “navigation” of fame as the show’s victor.

Jess told Spin Genie about some of the lowest points of filming, admitting it was harder than she’d anticipated.

For Jess, “it was one of the hardest things ever, like being away from your friends and family,” she said.

“You may as well be a participant in this study. Indeed, at times it has felt that way, and it has been a great trial, especially for me.

If the people in the villa decide to turn on you, there is nowhere for you to go. Sometimes when things weren’t going so well, I’d hit rock bottom and have to retreat to my safe haven to let out my frustrations by screaming and crying.

It’s mentally taxing; there were times when I locked myself in the beach hut and repeated over and over, “I just want to leave.”

Jess admitted that adjusting to life after becoming famous nearly a decade ago was challenging.

As she reflected back, she said, “Yeah, that was probably one of the hardest things — then obviously everyone knows you, they’re coming up for photos.

You’re so used to being in the spotlight now that it’s as if you have no recollection of your life before this.

In spite of the passage of time (eight years), I still have no recollection of my previous existence.

Even though they broke up, she still has plenty of good memories to last a lifetime.

Re-watching old videos of herself causes Jess to “feel sick,” she said.

She said, “As a mom, when I look back on my younger self, it makes me want to be sick.

I don’t feel bad about the way I carried myself in there, where everyone assumed I was an outspoken feminist.

Truthfully, I’ve always been that way, and it’s who I am to a T.

I admit that I was a bit of a flirt and was comfortable talking about sexual matters, but that was just me.

But I don’t think I could watch it now that I’m a mom and have a bit more sense about me. I would definitely pass out if my friend or partner wanted to watch an episode. If I were in that situation, I’d make a hasty exit.

Winner of Winter Love Island 2023 will be announced tonight in South Africa, hosted by Maya Jama.

Four couples have made it this far: Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins, Tanya Manhenga and Shaq Muhammad, Tom Clare and Samie Elisihi, and Sanam Harrinanan and Kai Fagan.

A new season of the show airing this summer that will return to its birthplace of Mallorca, Spain.

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