FROM LOVE ISLAND TO HELPING ANIMALS

Former TV dating show contestant now helps raise funds for RSPCA centre

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ONE day I walked into an animal centre in Swansea and was looking at one of the men who worked there and wondering “why do I recognise you?”

The man in front of me was Tom Powell from the second season of Love Island.

In an interview with the former islander, he opened up about everything, and I mean everything. He delved into his time before, during and after Love Island, including the passing of his ex-girlfriend and his steroid use.

He told me how he grew up in Margam in Port Talbot and lived in the same house for 25 years. Before the show he had been a personal trainer, worked seasons in Zante, managed a bar in Greece and later did personal security for the cast of Geordie Shore, where he was scouted to be on Love Island.

The 33-year-old said: "One of the producers messaged me, saying, 'Hey, Tom I think you'd be great for this series that we've got, would you like to fill out an application?'

"So I said, 'Yeah, of course, you know, why not?' Filled out the application, and within 20 minutes he was asking me to come to London for the interview. By the time I had the interview, left London to get back on the train, they rang me and said 'you're going in two weeks."

When asked how he prepared to go on the show, he joked: "I got in the gym for two weeks."

Tom, who was 24 when competing on the dating series, said he had no regrets going on the show and had no bad moments on the series. However, he said post Love Island was an extremely difficult time, following the loss of Sophie Gradon.

Sophie, who was 32 years old, was found at her home in Ponteland, Northumberland, by her boyfriend and his brother in June 2018. An inquest found she had committed suicide.