Emily Atack has opened up about love and online abuse as she emerges from the media storm that engulfed her last year when she was linked to footballer Jack Grealish.
The fun-loving 32-year-old actress has remained tight lipped over her alleged fling with 26-year-old England and Man City player Jack – who has been in a 10-year romance with his childhood sweetheart, Sasha Attwood, 25.
While Emily has yet to fully discuss what did or didn’t happen between her and Jack last year, a new interview has seen her hint at her thoughts on dating someone high profile – and it doesn’t sound like a situation she would like to court.
Emily instead claims she would rather date someone who is not famous than endure the “nightmare” of being in a celeb power couple – but adds that her own fame does make dating non-famous people difficult too.
The Sun on Sunday quotes the star – who was also linked to Strictly star Giovanni Pernice earlier this month – saying: “The thing is, I like to date normal guys who are not in the public eye.
“(But then) they say, ‘I can’t deal with all this pressure’ because they are painted as my boyfriend really quickly.
“And dating someone famous is a f***ing nightmare as it is just this massive thing. Basically, I’m f***ed. When things take a serious turn, I find it really tough.”
While in a podcast, Emily also opens up about the abuse she receives in the form of unsolicited explicit photographs from men.
The star – who has backed a campaign to make cyber flashing a crime – is not impressed when men send her photos of their “hairy ballsacks” and other parts of their anatomy.
She said: “Before breakfast, I’ve seen about ten penises I have not asked to see.
“If someone sends me a sexually explicit message, I’m like, ‘Why have they said that to me?’. It makes you question who you are and why you’re single.”
Emily has expressed her revulsion at receiving explicit photos in the past.
Last year she shared her horror with The Mirror over the fact she would receive unwanted, and un-requested, x-rated photos from men of all ages.
She said at the time: "I worked out the other day, before 10am, I'd seen three penises that I hadn't asked to see, three c**k shots that had been sent through.
"If I'd walked out into the street to get a coffee and three men had flashed me on the way, I'd be in pieces, I'd be traumatised, but there is honestly something about when it's online, and I hate to admit this, I've become so used to it, I just kinda go, 'Oh for f***'s sake, ah, god, urgh'.
She continued: "It goes from teenage boys, to middle-aged men, to really old men, old single men that are probably desperately lonely, and older men who are married with children, and they have daughters in their profile pictures.”
She added: "The horrible thing about is that nobody is around to say, 'Oi, don't say that! That's horrific’. They're allowed to just do it, and I'm subjected to it."
Emily is now campaigning for a change in the law so that people who send explicit content or abuse over the internet without prior consent are reprimanded.
She said earlier this month: “There needs to be tougher penalties, the threat of prison needs to be enforced. Actual action needs to be taken if the online world is to become a safer one."
