India Willoughby, known for appearing on Loose Women and as the UK's first trans newsreader, has revealed she has been struggling with suicidal thoughts after receiving a torrent of abuse and even death threats on Twitter.
India said she felt the site was no longer safe for her following vile messages she had received, which left her feeling "worthless".
The TV personality, who has been open about the abuse she has received in the past, left Twitter last night, following a row regarding an advert for tampons, which she says prompted even more messages.
The former Celebrity Big Brother contestant said: "Last night, I thought that I was going to kill myself and that's exactly what they want. I feel worthless, nobody listens, nobody wants me to have a voice."
Speaking to MyLondon, India said: "I've just had enough. This week has been horrendous and it's quite clear that there's no protection for Elon Musk. Trans people aren't allowed in mainstream media, the only medium is social media and it's pushing us further back into the closet and back in the shadows."
Talking about about relationship with Twitter, India said: "There is something addictive about Twitter, I have a great community of trans people who I often speak to but at the same time I receive hate from gender critical people daily on the site."
"While its horrendous its also a lifeline for the trans community. The police have told me to come off the site and so I'm going to have a period away from Twitter."
India added that she felt the abuse has got worse since Elon Musk took over Twitter and says it has been "horrendous" the past few weeks.
She said: "As I'm relatively well-known, to some small-degree people talk about the hate I recieve as more people can see it but this hatred is happening everyday to trans people across the platform - trans people's pain isn't recognised."
India said her optimism over attitudes towards trans people has sunk thanks to her experience on Twitter.
The newsreaders came out publicly in 2018 on ITV's Lorraine, and in the interview said the trans movement for acceptance was "moving at supersonic speed", but she no longer feels that the case.
She said: "Back in 2018 I would go about my business - this wasn't a topic of public concern or scrutiny - the speed at which that has changed, I now look over my shoulder.
"It's depressing, trans people have been dehumanised and this comes down to the way that we are being treated.
India added that trans people are being "pushed further back into the shadows and presented as an illness or disease."
Tragically, she added: "Britain has become a scary place and I'm really scared for my life. I take the death threats very seriously."
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