Love Island star ordered to change image for fame after villa
She might not have found lasting love during her two stints on Love Island, but Liberty Poole is proof that staying true to yourself is perhaps the real win when it comes to participating in the dating show. The 25-year-old Brummie first found fame in 2021 when she coupled up with Jake Cornish on day one in the villa and quickly became one half of the show's golden couple – until she called time on the romance, days before the final.
Last year, Liberty gave love another shot on Love Island: All Stars but, once again, chose self-respect over game-playing guys. Since then, as she exclusively tells OK!, she's turned her relationship woes into a platform for body positivity, inspiring her 1.3 million Instagram followers to embrace their imperfections.
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Hi Liberty! Looking back, how do you feel about your experiences in the villa?
You know, no matter what, I always come out a stronger person. But yes, I feel like my journeys in the villa weren't the easiest. It's a time I'll always cherish, but there were also some negative things to deal with. Obviously, I had to rewatch my boyfriend on TV saying he wasn't attracted to me, then in the Snog, Marry, Pie challenge, I got pied three times. I was the girl who was never picked or fancied. I think it's important to remember that there's such a small group of people in there, it's not a reflection on you – it's just the nature of the show.
We're in the middle of the current series – any changes you would have liked to have seen this season?
Well, I feel like they've come a long way since earlier seasons with diversity, but I do think they could still do more with body diversity as well. There's always a certain body type that goes into the villa, so I think more could be done in that sense. Because I'm a bit of a curvier girl myself, I do a lot of body positivity now online. Before I went on Love Island, I used to heavily edit my photos and shrink my waist. Whereas, when you're in front of a camera, you can't hide.
Did you feel like people in the All Stars villa knew how to play the game and weren't taking part to find love?
Yeah, I definitely think some people did. I remember having a conversation with one particular person in the All Stars villa and I was honestly just trying to have a genuine conversation with them. They said to me, 'Oh no, you're not doing this conversation right, you're mentioning the fourth wall.' They said that we needed to 'redo' the conversation. It wasn't even one of the producers who said that – it was a cast member. I realised people were actually thinking like that. I just went in as me because I don't think anything else would have worked for me.
Do you think it's still possible to begin a long-lasting relationship in the villa or is it now more of a platform to find fame?
I would say it's evolved more into that now, yes, because I think people are very aware that you go on the show and you get a certain following and it does open up opportunities and doors for you. I would say it's maybe more evolved into that now than the first season, but I wouldn't paint everyone with the same brush and say everyone's in it for the fame. I still think people do go into the villa open to finding love.
Were there any challenges you experienced, returning to normality after you left Love Island for the first time?
The welfare team really supports you during your time on the show and after the show, when you return home. For me, the difficulty was coming out. Never compromise your happiness for fame and money. You do get a bit love-bombed by the show. Obviously, you're busy when you come out and it's this crazy whirlwind, but it calms down. From the start, I'd say do not compare yourself to anyone else because everyone else's journey in the industry is different. When I came out, I had times where I was told to wear designer bags more to elevate my image. That just wasn't me – no thanks.
What advice would you give any prospective Islanders?
Just be yourself. I've been there and I've seen people be themselves and it works out for them a lot better than the people who try to pretend or play up to the camera in some way. Also, the public are not stupid. So just be yourself and you'll get further down the line. Some people's experiences are that you go in and find love and end up in a long-lasting relationship, like Alex and Olivia [Bowen], Indiyah [Polack] and Dami [Hope] – they're all still in very happy relationships. You can be open to that aspect, but I wouldn't go in with that expectation.
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