Virgin Island star reveals if he's had sex since the show and what happened after cameras stopped rolling
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FOR Virgin Island star Ben Harris, a two-week stint in Croatia to learn about sex with intimacy experts has been life-changing - but not for the reason you might expect.
The 31-year-old took part in the popular Channel 4 show last year having struggled to go "all the way" with previous partners.
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Ben Harris, right, with his former boss Michael Fabricant
Credit: Instagram
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Researcher Ben, who tracks his love life on a spreadsheet, is still looking for love
Credit: Channel 4
He bravely opened up about his sex life - or lack, thereof - on camera in a bid to 'embrace his sexual energy' and help him lose his virginity.
But within a week of arriving back in the UK, parliamentary researcher Ben faced another challenge when then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a general election.
Despite hitting the ground running campaigning for Michael Fabricant MP, Ben became unemployed when the Conservative lost his seat on July 4.
It meant that not only did Ben lose his job, but he also lost his newly acquired sex drive as he was forced to put his career first.
Speaking to The Sun about his experience, Ben reveals he is still a virgin - but now has the tools he needed to have sex for the first time.
"It wasn't like I was going there to lose my virginity," says Ben, who has a newfound confidence since filming Virgin Island.
"But it's changed how I feel about being a virgin. I'm not proud so to speak, but I'm no longer ashamed of it in the same way I was.
"Now I feel I have the tools that I didn't have before and the confidence and the mindset to do it now when I meet the right person."
Ben took a couple of weeks off from his job in the House of Commons after telling boss Michael about Virgin Island last May. Michael followed in Ben's footsteps by going into television when he starred in this year's Celebrity Big Brother.
Although he has not lost his virgin status, Ben has been speed-dating with his TV co-star Viraj and has been on several dates with three women over the past year.
Watch excruciating moment Virgin Island contestant smacks experts bum while recreating sex positions
Ben added: "I really enjoyed working with the Virgin Island therapists. They made me look at myself in a different mindset.
"I'm actually not ugly. I mean, I'm not a 10 out of 10, but I'm also not a two out of 10 like what I thought I was.
"And while I have faced more rejection since, I am now able to process these setbacks in a much healthier and more positive way."
Stream Virgin Island on Channel 4 now.
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