
Virgin Island star reveals if he's had sex since the show and what happened after cameras stopped rolling
The 31-year-old took part in the popular Channel 4 show last year having struggled to go "all the way" with previous partners.
2
2
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.
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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
20 minutes ago
- Reuters
Soccer Israeli soccer fans cause outrage in Poland with 'murderers' banner
WARSAW, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Israeli soccer fans held up a banner reading "Murderers since 1939" during a match against a Polish team on Thursday, causing outrage in Poland as the president said it insulted the memory of Poles, including Jews, killed in World War Two. Poland was occupied by Nazi Germany in World War Two. The country's 3.2 million Jewish population was the largest in Europe at the start of the war. Almost all were killed, many of them in Nazi German death camps, and a further 3 million non-Jewish citizens also died during the occupation. Historical disputes over World War Two and the Holocaust have strained relations between Poland and Israel in the past. Studies have shown complicity by some Poles in the killing of Jews by Nazi Germany, but many Poles reject such findings, saying they are an attempt to dishonour a country that suffered immensely during the war. The "Murderers since 1939" banner was displayed prominently across a row of seats by fans of Israeli club Maccabi Haifa during their Europa Conference League match against Rakow Czestochowa, which was played in Debrecen in Hungary for security reasons. "The scandalous banner displayed by Maccabi Haifa fans insults the memory of Polish citizens - victims of World War Two, including 3 million Jews," Polish President Karol Nawrocki, a former head of the country's Institute of National Remembrance, wrote on X. "Stupidity that no words can justify." Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said "Anti-Polonism and the scandalous distortion of Polish history by Israeli hooligans demand strong condemnation". The Israeli Embassy in Warsaw also condemned the banner. "There is no place for such words and actions, from any side, neither at the stadium nor anywhere else. Never!" the embassy wrote on X. "These shameful incidents do not reflect the spirit of the majority of Israeli fans." Rakow Czestochowa won the game 2-0, giving them a 2-1 victory on aggregate.


The Herald Scotland
21 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon's legacy changed Scotland – not for the better
There are obvious reasons for that. Her electoral success as First Minister is unimpeachable (save for a slight setback in the 2017 general election). Her UK-wide popularity, which started with her role in the Brexit referendum and peaked during the Covid pandemic, was surely higher than any of us imagined a Scottish nationalist leader's could be. The breakdown in her relationship with Alex Salmond and the circumstances surrounding it constitutes a political soap opera more salacious than anything the UK has seen in my lifetime. Read More: Her own arrest and that of her husband, the latter of whose case is ongoing, was jaw-dropping. And, of course there was gender recognition legislation, hammered through the Parliament at a time where dissent was a rarity, and perhaps the clearest indicator that Ms Sturgeon's hitherto ultra-sensitive public radar had diminished. It would be easy to identify any of these areas and claim it as Ms Sturgeon's legacy, and I am certain that her supporters and detractors will do just that. Some of her fanbase, many members of which remain at the heart of government, will cite her handling of Covid as her legacy. Her opponents inside nationalism will cite her role in the defenestration of Alex Salmond, and her detractors outside the movement will more likely reference the gender recognition debacle. In the final analysis, however, her real, enduring legacy is none of those things. Her enduring legacy is something far less superficially interesting; something far less likely to make the front page of a newspaper. No, by the end of this decade we will see Nicola Sturgeon's legacy as a decisive shift in Scottish public policy to the ideological left. This strategic philosophical change has stayed with us, and has permeated into the agendas of her successors Humza Yousaf (who didn't want to change it) and John Swinney (who, with his Deputy Kate Forbes, is experiencing how difficult it is to put the egg back in the shell). Whether or not this ideological movement is good news or bad news is largely in the eye of the beholder. Those on the left of the SNP, and of course those in Ms Sturgeon's coalition partners, the Greens, will celebrate this legacy. And so they should. Centrist and centrist-right economic policy, and a public service reform agenda, have been successfully neutered. I must say, though, that this is not an opinion I share, and however laudable the policy intention, during the next term of Parliament the chickens will come home to roost in a number of areas. Take schooling. The education establishment has spent the last decade obsessed (not too strong a word) with 'closing the attainment gap'. Nobody has questioned whether more homogenous attainment is good for the country (it isn't). And more importantly everyone has looked the other way when they have seen attempts to close the attainment gap in action. In schools all over Scotland, the method of closing the gap is not to raise the level of those at the bottom, but to suppress the level of those at the top. This happens every day, in every Scottish state school, and I have been witnessing it first hand for a decade. Together with the collapse in knowledge as part of the Scottish curriculum, the rejection of an excellence agenda is having a dramatic impact. This impact is most succinctly displayed by the international PISA data, which has recorded constant absolute and relative declines in Scottish educational performance in reading, maths and science. The impact is being felt by universities, with multiple anecdotal evidence that Scottish students are having to be placed, in effect, in remedial classes to catch up with British and international peers. And the impact will be felt by Scottish employers and the Scottish economy, the future of which is the children currently at school. Education is hardly the only example. The NHS is a poor service, with poor outcomes, swallowing up an eye-watering volume of public money, all over the UK. Quietly, though, the service in England is adapting to financial and demographic inevitabilities by working much more closely with private providers to expand capacity, reduce waiting lists, and improve outcomes. This will ultimately improve public health and therefore economic productivity … in England. In Scotland, we are not working with the private sector, and appear unwilling to make the obvious arguments for so doing. This is a policy decision driven by a leftist, anti-private sector agenda. High income taxes which we know prevent high taxpayers coming to Scotland, when we need a higher tax base. Rent caps, which we know prevent investment to alleviate the housing shortage. A presumption against building out our trunk roads, which is a humiliating skeleton of a network by European standards. And of course a presumption against oil and gas, which is losing us the investment and the workers we need to exploit our renewables potential. All policy decisions, all framed by this decisive move to the left expertly executed by Ms Sturgeon. I am far from blind to Ms Sturgeon's abilities or accomplishments, or indeed her ability to make good calls. I was heartened, for instance, to read that she opposed the release of the Lockerbie bomber, which I still regard as the most reprehensible decision taken by any government since devolution. Furthermore, although bandwagons are easy to jump on, I have always liked Nicola Sturgeon in my personal interactions with her. I continue to judge her by those, and therefore my personal feelings towards her are unchanged. However she and I come from a different place on the ideological spectrum. That is how I judge her legacy now and, as should always be the case in politics, that is how history will judge her, too. Andy Maciver is Founding Director of Message Matters, and co-host of the Holyrood Sources podcast


Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Meet the new Premier League WAGs - including a former Miss Universe contestant, a maternity nurse and a makeup influencer
The Premier League kicks off tonight, with a new campaign of matches starting. Fans tuning into this weekend's opening round of fixtures will see a number of new footballing faces grace England's top flight pitches for the first time - and they've brought their very glamorous wives and girlfriends along with them. Cheering on from the sidelines will be an array of radiant partners, including a former Miss Universe contestant, a maternity nurse, a childhood sweetheart and a makeup influencer. Returning to the Premier League, longtime WAG Rebecca Burnett will likely be in the stands as her husband Jordan Henderson performs for Brentford, following a free transfer after the termination of his contract with Dutch team Ajax. Meanwhile, a French model will also join the cohort of girlfriends and partners cheering on the teams this season. Indira Ampiot, a Miss Universe 2024 top-30 contender, is reportedly dating Mathys Tel, who has moved from Bayern Munich to Tottenham on a six-year deal. One of the most famous models in France, she was spotted attending Bayern's games and shared snaps with the footballer, both 20, to her Instagram Stories, according to local media. Read on to explore all the new WAGS fans can expect to see in the stands throughout the 2025-26 Premier League season. Indira Ampiot Girlfriend of Mathys Tel Tottenham completed the permanent signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich on a six-year deal in June. The 20-year-old forward spent the second half of last season on loan from the Bundesliga champions and scored three goals in 20 appearances. The loan included an option for Spurs to make the deal permanent for £45.8million, however reports suggest the club successfully negotiated the fee down to £29.8m. The 20-year-old forward did not come alone to London and brought his girlfriend, Miss Universe 2024 top-30 contender Indira Ampiot with him. She is one of the most famous models in France, gaining recognition after winning the national prize in 2023. Rumours about Indira's relationship with the Spurs newcomer emerged at the end of 2024 amid reports from Germany that she was spotted attending Bayern's games and sharing Instagram Stories of the pair. Mathys Tel, pictured left, during a match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield Stadium. Pictured right, Indira Ampiot in Cannes in May 2025 Earlier, it was understood that the model wanted to pursue Communication Studies in Paris. However, these plans have probably changed since Tel's departure to Tottenham. Indira is also clearly interested in fashion and tourism, sharing pictures on her Instagram page with her 435,000 followers. Tamira Blankson Girlfriend of Jeremie Frimpong Jeremie Frimpong has joined Liverpool from German club Bayer Leverkusen in a £29.5m switch, and his girlfriend Tamira Blankson will perhaps make the move to England with him. The Dutch footballer has been in a relationship with the glamorous WAG since last spring and occasionally shares pictures of them together on Instagram. Tamira has been snapped showing her support in the stands for the sportsman during his footballing season, and the pair have been photographed enjoying a luxury meal in Dubai. On TikTok, the bombshell has at least 34,000 followers and more than 1.2million likes as she shares outfit and makeup videos. The Dutch footballer has been in a relationship with the glamorous WAG since last spring and occasionally shares pictures of them together on Instagram Meanwhile, over on her YouTube account, she shared vlogs from her trips to Dubai and a week in her life. Leonita Lekaj Wife of Granit Xhaka Leonita Xhaka will be returning to England alongside her husband Granit Xhaka after his move to newly-promoted Sunderland. The former Arsenal captain joined from Bayer Leverkusen and signed a three-year contract at the Stadium of Light. The 32-year-old Xhaka spent seven years at Arsenal, where he won two FA Cups before moving to Germany and helping Leverkusen lift the Bundesliga title in 2024 as part of a league and cup double. Leonita and her sportsman husband have been married since 2017 and have a daughter, Ayana, who was born in 2019. Xhaka proposed to Lekaj in April 2016 and the couple tied the knot just a year later, with the Switzerland international announcing the big news by posting a 'Mr and Mrs' photo with his bride on Instagram. Xhaka proposed to Lekaj in April 2016 and the couple tied the knot just a year later, with the Switzerland international announcing the big news by posting a 'Mr and Mrs' photo with his bride on Instagram Lekaj made a splash at Euro 2016 when she sat with the Xhaka family during Granit and brother Taulant's 'family feud' showdown between Switzerland and Albania Like Xhaka, Lekaj comes from a Kosovo Albanian family and she met the Swiss footballer while working at his former club in her native Germany, Borussia Monchengladbach. Lekaj made a splash at Euro 2016 when she sat with the Xhaka family during Granit and brother Taulant's 'family feud' showdown between Switzerland and Albania. Anita Vidovic Girlfriend of Benjamin Sesko Earlier this month, Manchester United completed the signing of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in a deal worth up to £73.7million. The 22-year-old has signed a deal until 2030 at the Red Devils, who are said to be paying Leipzig 76.5m euros (£66.3m) plus a potential 8.5m euros (£7.4m) in add-ons. But it wasn't only his move that made headlines - with his girlfriend Anita Vidovic also catching the attention of fans, thanks to her radiant looks, famous brother and the five-year age gap between her and Sesko. The 27-year-old, originally from Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia, graduated from the Faculty of Public Administration, according to Cosmopolitan, via The Mirror. Earlier this month, Manchester United completed the signing of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko (pictured) in a deal worth up to £73.7million She's also reportedly a TikTok influencer and model, who often supports her footballer boyfriend in the stands since they started dating in 2022. Her brother Boris Vidovic is a professional footballer, having made appearances in Germany and Poland's lower leagues, playing for teams like TSV Bicken and Ritzing. But UK audiences will know him for his appearance in this year's Love Island, where he was a Casa Amor bombshell. Anita's social media pages often include tributes to her boyfriend as she showcases her partner's romantic side. Marina Gourgis Wife of Tijjani Reijnders Manchester City were left a sizeable gap to plug when it was revealed that Kevin De Bruyne's illustrious stay at the Etihad Stadium was to come to a close, and it is one they chose to fill in part with a £46.3m swoop for AC Milan's midfielder Tijjani Reijnders. The 26-year-old Netherlands international was one of Milan's better performers during a disappointing Serie A campaign and while he is a different player to De Bruyne, his passing ability and eye for goal could prove invaluable to Pep Guardiola's side. Dubbed a devoted family man, Reijnders tied the knot with his partner in June 2022 Following his move to Manchester City, he will be joined in the North of England by his wife, maternity nurse Marina Gourgis. Dubbed a devoted family man, Reijnders tied the knot with his partner in June 2022, reported The Sun. According to the publication, Marina said: 'We started talking through Instagram. When we finally agreed to meet, I immediately thought, "Oh, he's really nice," and things moved very quickly from there.' The couple share one child, one-year-old Xavien, with Marina admitting 'motherhood is now truly my focus'. She said: 'I have my own ambitions but motherhood is now truly my focus. We moved abroad for Tijjani's career, which was already a big change. We have a balance that works for us. 'Right now, we focus on his career, and afterwards it will be my turn to pursue my goals. The time I get to spend with my son now feels like a special gift, and I'm extremely grateful for it.' Aaliyah Mohamed Girlfriend of Florian Wirtz Florian Wirtz will be joined by his glamourous partner Aaliyah Mohamed after completing his record-breaking £116million move to Liverpool. After weeks of negotiations, the Germany attacking midfielder was unveiled as a Reds player in June, becoming the most expensive British transfer ever amid the hefty price tag he will now carry on his back. Liverpool finally agreed the deal with Bayern with personal terms long not an issue, and Wirtz will hit the ground running in red when the Premier League champions return for pre-season ahead of their title defence. But the 22-year-old will not be heading to Liverpool alone. Though he opts to keep his personal life mostly private, his girlfriend will be joining him on Merseyside to support him in the next stage of his career. Photos of Wirtz and Aaliyah started to emerge last year when she was spotted on the pitch at Bayer Leverkusen's BayArena to celebrate the German side's invincible season under Xabi Alonso. She was then seen out in Germany to support her partner at the European Championship, which saw the Germans fall flat as they lost to eventual winners Spain in the quarter-finals. During the game against France, the influencer, who has over 118,000 followers on TikTok, was seen chatting to Kai Havertz's partner Sophia Webber, as well as Wirtz's father in the stands. Aaliyah's Instagram account is private, but she shares fashion videos to her TikTok followers, often picking up hundreds of thousands of views on her videos. Photos of Wirtz and Aaliyah started to emerge last year when she was spotted on the pitch at Bayer Leverkusen's BayArena to celebrate the German side's invincible season under Xabi Alonso Her followers often flood to the comment section of her videos, with one fan dubbing her 'the prettiest women I have ever seen'. She was also previously snapped by Cologne photographer Jonas Herrlein, which saw her don an outfit of a denim top with white sleeves, accompanied by a skirt. The couple are thought to have started dating in 2022, and Aaliyah has even been seen to accompany Wirtz to games when he has been watching in the stands due to injury. Rebecca Burnett Wife of Jordan Henderson In July, Brentford confirmed the signing of Jordan Henderson on a free transfer following the termination of his contract with Dutch team Ajax. The former Liverpool captain's Premier League return comes almost two years to the day since his high-profile move to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, having brought an end to his trophy-laden 12-year stay the Reds. With Liverpool, the former Sunderland midfielder lifted a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, European Super Cup and two Carabao Cups, as well as the Community Shield. Jordan Henderson and his wife at the end of the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield on May 11, 2014 He will return to the Premier League with his wife, Rebecca Burnett, who he reportedly first met in Sunderland, their hometown, when they were just teenagers. Despite being around for much of her husband's footballing career, not much is known about Rebecca. The pair are thought to have tied the knot in 2014 and they have two daughters, Elexa and Alba. The loved-up couple also welcomed a son into the family in 2020. When the couple's second child was born, Jordan was present at hospital for the birth, before he raced down to Wembley to play in a cup semi-final. Rebecca was spotted in Russia for the 2018 World Cup, where she was seen in the stands with daughter Elexa. Henderson cut short his stay at Al-Ettifaq after just six months, abandoning his £350,000 a week contract to join Ajax amid rumours that his wife and children felt uncomfortable in Bahrain. The footballer and his family were living in more liberal Bahrain as opposed to the city of Dammam, where Al-Ettifaq play. 'As nice as Bahrain is, it is a bit like being in a bubble,' one woman who reportedly met Rebecca previously said. 'It can get a bit dull because it's like living in a very fancy all-inclusive resort.'