Love Island 2021 champion Millie Court has revealed that she felt pressured to drop down to a size 6 before appearing on the ITV2 dating show.
The Essex native, 24, won the last series alongside her boyfriend Liam Reardon, and Millie looked every part the typical Love Island bombshell when she entered the villa.
But unbeknownst to viewers, Millie had restricted her eating and hit the gym hard every day before she appeared on the show amid pressures to look a certain way.
Millie shared the honest confession in a lengthy Instagram post as she opened up about gaining weight since departing the show.
The much-loved social media superstar was forced to shut down pregnancy questions after she revealed she had been bombarded with comments about her figure - all because she simply started eating normally again.
In the lengthy post, Millie revealed that she dropped from her 'normal' size 10 to a size 6 before entering the villa, and she was 'miserable' in the process of losing weight.
"I've been getting a lot of these messages and comments recently," the blonde beauty started the post.
"NO, I am not pregnant although one day hopefully I will be and I'm sure it'll be one of the happiest days of my life but being a woman, especially in the public eye, I've now experienced what it's like to be absolutely torn apart by the way you look, dress, act etc and it can be hard on someone to be constantly judged."
Millie went on to encourage her fans to refrain from commenting on any woman's body as it can have detrimental effects.
"I personally feel like I am a very strong girl so those words don't often hurt me, and neither does this," she penned.
"Hence why I am trying my best to show everyone you are beautiful no matter way, without all the editing and filters.
"But if you have made this comment to someone, just think about how that someone could take that and it could potentially hurt. This is of course indicating that someone's put on weight and almost feels like a nicer way to say are you pregnant or are you just packing on the pounds?"
Millie went on to open up about her body insecurities as she admitted that she dropped two dresses before heading into the famous Love Island villa.
Although she was always happy and content with her amazing figure, Millie felt under pressure to hit the gym hard before appearing on the ITV2 dating show - and now that her adventure has ended, she has happily gone back to her previous weight.
"I've always been (before Love Island) fluctuating between a size 8 and 10, but most of the time a size 10. I was so happy with the way I looked, I didn't think twice about it," Millie explained.
"But before taking part in Love Island, she decided to hit the gym to shed some weight.
"On the weeks leading up to Love Island I felt the need to lose several pounds because I knew I was going to be surrounded by beautiful slim girls.
"I worked out every single day and ate salad for lunch and to tell you the truth I was miserable whilst doing it. I'd changed whilst I was on the show for several reasons that's probably for another story time.
"But I went from a size 10 to a 6, and it's the smallest I've ever been as a young adult.
"Because of my height, this made me look unhealthily skinny, of which I was (not eating barely anything, feeling ill all the time, tired, dizzy etc) and I remember looking at myself, I'd lost my boobs and my bum and those curves I once had and I MISSED them."
Millie went on to explain that she's now feeling back to herself and she couldn't be any happier as she encouraged her fans and followers to embrace their bodies - whatever shape or size they may be.
"Anyway the point of this is, since coming out of Love Island, I've found my love for my food again and yes I'm getting back to my usual size. But I love being this way and I just want you all to know that if you love your body and the way that you are, then that is THE most important thing.
"We're all different shapes and sizes, each size perfect in our own way. But please don't get stuck to the beauty standard of 'perfection'.
"Don't feel the pressure to need to be like some of the models we see on the runway because I know being in this job and in the limelight, those pressures are extremely heightened. And today I'm letting go of that pressure and telling you all I am perfectly happy the way I am."
The Mirror has reached out to a Love Island spokesperson for comment on this story.
