Emotional Faye Winter says she is 'grieving' Teddy Soares following their split and says the pressure of the spotlight may have killed them off.
The Love Island pair, who came third in the 2021 series of the hit ITV2 reality dating show, were the last remaining couple still together.
That was until they have announced the end of their relationship after 18 months together and she thinks she knows why things collapsed.
Faye accepts it was time for them to move on but says the parting of ways is not easy after losing her 'soul mate'.
She says the pressure that accompanied their high-profile romance simply became too much to bear and they decided to make the big decision.
"We’re from very different worlds and we were trying to build a relationship in this very high-pressure environment," the 27-year-old told OK! Magazine.
"We got moulded together, but we had different dreams and ambitions and I had to respect Teddy’s. We were so similar and we got on so well – he’ll forever have a very special place in my heart – and it feels like I’m grieving someone."
Faye went on: "It’s so hard. I honestly believed he was my soulmate. It’s always hard to come to terms with these things and him not being there to build a life with.
"But you have to respect each other. It’s a loss, but you’ve got to keep on moving forwards."
Former lettings manager Faye and ex-financial consultant Teddy, 28, kept viewers gripped with their fiery on-off romance.
Despite finishing third, the pair went on to become the longest-standing couple from the 2021 series after winners Millie Court and Liam Reardon called it quits last July. Runners-up Chloe Burrows and Toby Aromolaran split in October.
Weeks of speculation about their break-up heated up on Valentine's Day when they failed to pay tribute to each other, before they made the decision to go their separate ways.
She last week has admitted that the "hardship" of the break-up has been not being able to comfort one another through the difficult times, particularly in the public eye.
Speaking to The Sun, Faye said: "It's hard because I went into Love Island to purely find someone and I said anything on top of that was an added bonus.
"I've never been in a situation where I've been in relationship in the public eye and I've had to go through a break-up in the public eye."
She added: "So obviously it's been hard and everything that's been hard in my life post-Love Island, I've always had Teddy there to help me deal with it and visa versa, I've always helped him.
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