Love Island’s Amber Gill On Managing Her Mental Health

The former winner chats to Grazia about meditation, checking in with friends and explains why it's so important to break down the stigma surrounding mental health.

amber gill

by Bonnie McLaren |
Updated on

It seems hard to believe that Love Island 2019 was only just over a year ago. The villa welcomed some of it's most popular contestants yet, with the likes of Maura Higgins and Molly-Mae Hague - but it was Amber Gill who was so well liked she was able to win the series despite only being with Greg O'Shea for a few days. He dumped her a couple of weeks later by text - and she has since, rightly, claimed she was the first solo winner of Love Island.

Obviously, none of the show's recent contestants have been as busy this year as they usually would. You can't exactly do club appearances or fashion shoots when the whole country is being ordered to stay indoors. But Amber didn't mind the enforced break at the beginning. 'I'd say at the beginning of lockdown, I loved it because it was something like brand new,' she tells Grazia over the phone, 'I've never been told to sit in the house and do nothing before, like that was quite fun.'

But living on her own, away from her home town of Newcastle, understandably Amber started to find it tricky. Like most of us, she started going to daily walks, and kept in touch with her family and friends through FaceTime and quizzes over Zoom. She also says it's been important during lockdown to keep an eye on her friends from Love Island, as they can be honest with each other about their unique experiences in the public eye. 'I try to [keep in touch with them] as much as possible as I think it's just nice.,' she says. 'Especially because there's such a small amount of people that have gone through the same experience. I need to check in with them quite a lot. Because they know that I know exactly how they feel.'

She regularly checks in with her other friends and family too. 'I've just always been an honest kind of person,' she says. 'I think because I've always been the one that's been like you've got to do your meditation, you've got to breathe in and you've got to check in with yourself that people naturally come to me because they know they can be honest with me, because I'll be like how do you feel and they would never just say I'm fine. I'm like, "No, come on. Like, are you okay?" kind of thing. I text or call if I feel like somebody needs it.'

When she was struggling during lockdown, the reality star turned to apps, such asThrive, to help manage her mental health. 'I try to meditate every day, because it does help manage my stress a lot. And then there's things like deep breathing exercises that just keep you grounded. You know, it is a crazy time, but you still can keep calm because you can get through it. And so I think it's just reminding yourself of that.' Amber also recognises that social media - especially with her huge platform - can be toxic, and says she sometimes deletes the app for a couple of days from her phone.

'Everybody's more than just what the feel,' Amber adds, 'and using my voice - or just everyone individually using their voices - is important, especially because there's kind of a little bit of stigma around talking about mental health and so it's just nice to put it out there, so everybody feels comfortable talking about it.'

Amber has also been outspoken about the government's handling of the Coronavirus crisis, writing about the Dominic Cummings saga on Twitter a few weeks ago: 'After I saw that man drive all the way up the country to check his eyesight with a hot box of corona & the gov defended him I knew I wasn’t listening to a damn thing after that.'

'I like when things are clear cut,' she explains to us. 'And I also like honesty, so if something was a mistake, you know, you can see it, you can hold your hands up and say, "Look, we'll try this, this doesn't work. We should try something else." But I think what I'm so upset with is just the confusion and making everybody scared and stressed. I think it's the government's job to keep everybody calm, and they're not.'

Despite the situation we're all in, the former Islander has continued to work hard and she has projects in the pipeline for next year which are yet to be revealed. She's also hoping to go on holiday to LA to see the person she's 'been talking to', which must be exciting. After all of this, we couldn't think of anything better than a break away.

Thrive are supporting World Mental Health Day 2020 with a #BehindTheSmile campaign. Find out more here.

READ MORE::a[A Comprehensive Guide To Which Love Island Couples Are Still Together]{href='https://graziadaily.co.uk/celebrity/news/love-island-couples-still-together-all-series-2/' target='_blank' rel='nofollow noopener noreferrer'}

Gallery

Which Love Island couples are still together?

Love Island couples1 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Hannah Elizabeth and Jonathan Clark - SPLIT

Remember when they, like, got engaged on the show? That one didn't quite last...

Love Island couples2 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Luis Morrison and Cally Jane Beech - SPLIT

They had the first ever Love Island baby but in September 2018 they confirmed they'd split.

Love Island couples3 of 38
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Jordan Ring and Zoe Brown - SPLIT

Absolutely DID NOT work IRL. Neeext.

Love Island couples4 of 38
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Katie Salmon and Adam Maxwell - SPLIT

Adam claimed he was '100 percent single' shortly after leaving the villa and, um, that was that. #Kadam; gone but never forgotten.

Love Island couples5 of 38
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Rykard Jenkins and Rachel Fenton - SPLIT

At least they lasted 18 months. Not bad going...

Love Island couples6 of 38
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Scott Thomas and Kady McDermott -: SPLIT

Scott and Kady managed a year before splitting in 2017.

Love Island couples7 of 38
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Nathan Massey and Cara de da Hoyde - STILL TOGETHER

They've got their little Love Island baby and everything and are very much happily married. And baby number two is on the way for Cara, exciting times!

Love Island couples8 of 38
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Malin Andersson and Terry Walsh - SPLIT

He did date fellow Love Island-er Emma-Jane Woodhams eight months in actual real life before calling it a day. AH WELL.

Love Island couples9 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville - SPLIT

Gabby dumped Marcel after he was apparently caught cheating as they holidayed TOGETHER. Blimey.

Love Island couples10 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Jamie Jewitt and Camilla Thurlow - STILL TOGETHER

An absolute success story of Love Island 2017, Jamie and Camilla and Jamie are still the CUTEST of couples. And a baby is on the way. Hurrah!

Love Island couples11 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Sam Gowland and Georgia Harrison - SPLIT

Sam seemed to be doing alright for himself on Geordie Shore, so we don't think he's too gutted.

Love Island couples12 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes - SPLIT

The couple were plagued with cheating rumours throughout their relationship (who can forget that whole Chris Hughes and Katie Price debacle?). Since their ITVBe show Crackin' On ended, Olivia's confirmed she's back with ex-boyfriend Bradley Dack, who she is now engaged too.

Love Island couples13 of 38

Alex Bowen and Olivia Buckland - STILL TOGETHER

Alex and Olivia are married and literally as strong as ever. We like to live vicariously through them, to be honest.

Love Island couples14 of 38
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Tyla Carr and Jonny Mitchell - SPLIT

Oh it was never gonna last, was it?

Love Island couples15 of 38
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Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies - SPLIT

TheLove Island2017 winners split in December 2017; five months after the finale.

Love Island couples16 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Montana Brown and Alex Beattie - SPLIT

These two split just weeks after returning to the UK. Sad times.

Love Island couples17 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Dom Lever and Jess Shears - STILL TOGETHER

Jess and Dom are SO together, in fact, they got 'married' on Good Morning Britain on Valentine's Day 2017. They then got, y'know, properly married. They now have a baby boy, too.

Love Island couples18 of 38
CREDIT: Shutterstock

Sam Bird and Georgia Steel - SPLIT

You know how this one went. Sam accused Georgia of cheating on him with her ex, which she denied. It's safe to say they didn't split on the best of terms.

Love Island couples19 of 38
CREDIT: Shutterstock

Zara McDermott and Adam Collard - SPLIT

Zara and Adam called it quits at the beginning of 2019. Now she's dating Made In Chelsea's Sam Thompson and they look so happy.

Love Island couples20 of 38
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Megan Barton-Hanson and Wes Nelson - SPLIT

Megan and Wesdidmove in together, but announced their split in January 2019 following rumours Wes was getting close toDancing on Icepartner Vanessa Bauer. Uh oh.

Love Island couples21 of 38
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Josh Denzel and Kaz Crossley - SPLIT

Josh and Kaz announced their split in February 2019, with Kaz saying: 'Sometimes things don't go the way you planned, but you have to be grateful for the journey. Thank you for everything especially showing me how to love myself again.'

Love Island couples22 of 38
CREDIT: Shutterstock

Samira Mighty and Frankie Foster - SPLIT

Frankie reportedly cheated on Samira and that was that. Done. Over. thank u, next.

Love Island couples23 of 38
CREDIT: Shutterstock

Laura Anderson and Paul Knops - SPLIT

There's no bad blood betweenLaura and Paul, but they split months after making it to the final of the show.

Love Island couples24 of 38
CREDIT: Shutterstock

Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer - SPLIT

Dani released a statement via Instagram Stories (how very 2018) announcing thewinning 2018 couple had SPLIT, before they got back together just days later. They then split again. Dani is now with her ex Sammy Kimmence.However fast forward to April 2019 and Jack announced they'd split.

Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea25 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea - SPLIT

Amber and Greg were together for less than two weeks but managed to win over the nation and Love Island 2019. But before they could even make things official they split, with Greg reportedly dumping Amber by text.

Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague26 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague - STILL TOGETHER

They faced an obstacle when Maura entered the villa and turned Tommy's head but he decided to stick with Molly-Mae and the rest is history... They surprisingly came runner up during the Love Island 2019 final but they're happy in a relationship.

Maura Higgins and Curtis Pritchard27 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Maura Higgins and Curtis Pritchard - SPLIT

Probably one of the most shocking Love Island recouplings was definitely Maura and Curtis. Against all odds the pair made it to the final and weeks after leaving the villa they became an official couple. But it wasn't to be. The pair lasted eight months after the series.

India Reynolds and Ovie Soko28 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

India Reynolds and Ovie Soko - SPLIT

Ovie and India have definitely been the most successful bombshells of all time. The basketball player entered the villa during Casa Amor and India joined the show just weeks before the final. Needless to say, we were obsessed with them but they've since called it quits.

Belle Hassan and Anton Danyluk29 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Belle Hassan and Anton Danyluk - SPLIT

Belle and Anton just missed out on the Love Island final and didn't seem to be spending a whole lot of time together back in the UK. Sure enough they split after five weeks, with Belle reportedly freaked out by his Craig David obsession. There's since been speculation that they'll reunite but the reality stars are yet to confirm anything.

Harley Brash and Chris Taylor30 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Harley Brash and Chris Taylor - SPLIT

Despite being latecomers to the Love Island villa, Harley and Chris won the public over - even after their drama following the Sidebar of Shame challenge. Two weeks after leaving the villa they called it quits.

Jourdan Riane and Danny Williams31 of 38
CREDIT: ITV

Jourdan Riane and Danny Williams - SPLIT

Jourdan and Danny left the villa shortly after the Casa Amor stint and after confirming they were in a relationship they moved in together. However in October, Jourdan ended their relationship following reports Danny was partying with random women.

Joanna Chimonides and Michael Griffiths32 of 38
CREDIT: ITVq

Joanna Chimonides and Michael Griffiths - SPLIT

Michael left us - and the villa - shook when he decided to recouple with Joanna, leaving Amber single. Despite the awkwardness, Michael and Joanna seemed to kind of be working - until she was dumped from the island and then he said he still has feelings for Amber. He was then dumped from the villa and Joanna was then spotted 'kissing' Michael at a festival. There was a lot going on, ok.

Lucie Donlan and Joe Garratt33 of 38
CREDIT: Getty Images

Lucie Donlan and Joe Garratt - SPLIT

Lucie and Joe had a rough time in the Love Island villa, especially after thesandwich maker was accused of 'gaslighting' his other half. Luckily post-villa they managed to work through all the drama and are now in a relationship.

Paige Turley and Finn Tapp34 of 38
CREDIT: ITV2

Paige Turley and Finn Tapp

The winners of the first winter Love Island are still together, thank you very much. (They really are a cute couple.) Finn made the six-hour drive to Paige's house in West Lothian, Scotland just before lockdown happened. She has since even cut his hair in lockdown.

Siannise Fudge and Luke Trotman35 of 38
CREDIT: ITV2

Siannise Fudge and Luke Trotman

Another of our all time favourite couples, Luke and Siannise are so loved up that they now live together in London. We fully expect them to get married - and we want to be invited, tbh.

Luke Mabbott and Demi Jones - SPLIT36 of 38
CREDIT: ITV2

Luke Mabbott and Demi Jones - SPLIT

Three months after the series, the pair split as Demi said Luke didn't make an effort to text her during lockdown. Oh. 'With lockdown, it drove us apart and we live so far away from each other,' she told MailOnline. 'I feel like there wasn't a lot of effort made with communication, so we drifted as a result.'

Jess Gale and Ched Uzor - SPLIT37 of 38
CREDIT: ITV2

Jess Gale and Ched Uzor - SPLIT

The pair are still good friends, but like Demi and Luke, they just couldn't make it work during lockdown. Damn.

Nas Majeed and Eva Zapico - SPLIT38 of 38
CREDIT: ITV2

Nas Majeed and Eva Zapico - SPLIT

Nas Majeed and Eva Zapico are still happy together following Casa Amor, with Nas denying rumours that they'd split earlier in lockdown. From Nas' Instagram, it looks like they've been going on socially distanced dates.

READ MORE: Love Island's Yewande Biala Writes An Open Letter To Amber Gill: ‘You’re Amazing, Please Don’t Take Michael Back’

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