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Belfast Live
Entertainment
Sophie McLaughlin

Love Island star Matthew MacNabb on how long filming the show takes and how he felt like a 'fraud'

Love Island star Matthew MacNabb has revealed it’s taken him two years to adjust to normal life following his "intense" time on the ITV dating show.

The Co Down man who took part in the seventh season of Love Island gave us one of the most iconic dumping on the show with his famous "Yeah we're done" line.

But while Matthew may have initially hit it off with Kaz when he appeared in Casa Amor, he admitted feeling like a "fraud".

Read more: Meet the Irish Love Island contestant hoping to steal hearts in Casa Amor

Matthew eventually found love with his Dancing With The Stars partner Laura Nolan but shared how his journey was not all sun cream and smiles after leaving the show.

Speaking to Spin Genie, he shared what it is like dealing with imposter syndrome, his thoughts on this year's series and recoupling dramas.

Discussing being a Casa bombshell, Matthew said: "I felt like a fraud, like I shouldn't have been there in a way. All the original boys were out of the villa and we just came in.

The Downpatrick man on Aftersun (Matthew MacNabb/Instagram)

"The girls didn’t know us at that point and you had to build a connection, but in the back of their minds they were with another person. It was weird. It was like trying to take over being someone else's boyfriend. It did feel odd, so that was the main thing for me."

Matthew featured in one of the show's most explosive recouplings when it was revealed that Liam, who went on to win the show with partner Millie, had been kissing bombshell Lillie during his time away.

"That was a really intense experience. I think that episode was one of the best in Love Island history, it was explosive. I just wanted to sit in the back and lower my head. It takes hours.

"I think I was there for nearly three weeks and went through five different rounds of recouplings, before getting kicked out. I was always the one getting chosen, which means I had to stand up.

Matthew MacNabb leaves the villa (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"My legs were killing me because you have to stand there for hours to get the right camera angles and shots. Even if someone breathes out of turn, then they have to do the shot again," he explained.

After leaving the show, the Downpatrick man said that "knowing his position in life" what was he found the most difficult.

"Even two years on I still have the difficulties of imposter syndrome," he said.

"You can go to big nightclubs and events, but it didn’t feel real to me. That was the biggest struggle, trying to find my old self and connecting it with my new reality.

"It’s really weird because when you go into the villa you’re yourself, then you still come out the same person, but it’s completely different circumstances."

He revealed that his second stint on reality TV, Dancing With The Stars Ireland, was a more enjoyable experience and he never expected to find love on the telly again.

Matthew and Laura on DWTS Ireland (RTE)

Matthew continued: "It was really unique for me to learn such a cool skill and doing it with a person that I love. It was the most rewarding.

"We did really well, we got to the semi-finals and had one of the best dances on the show ever - I’m going to say that! It was a really special experience.

"For me, Dancing With The Stars was a more natural way to meet somebody. Love Island is great because it’s an amazing show and fun, but I don’t think it’s as natural.

"Me and Laura are both very similar, relaxed people, which is quite funny. I always say she’s like my bro, but she’s my girlfriend at the same time."

As for this year's winter series, Matthew has been tuning in when he can but says it can often be a "commitment" to follow a full series of the show.

"I’ve heard a couple of different things and I’m keeping up with it. The winter series is a difficult one, I feel the summer one is the one that does really well.

"Will [Young] seems like a really nice guy. I like people that treat girls with respect and are gentlemen, that’s how I was raised. It doesn’t seem to be a common theme in reality TV shows."

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