Viewers of Love Island have had their hearts won by Shaughna Phillips: she with the witty one liners (‘Congrats, hun’ is now printed on T-shirts byIn the Style) and the chocolate bars tucked in her top.
We love her when she wears her heart on her sleeve as much as when she puts her game face on (something she was forced to do when Callum Jones walked back into the villa from Casa Amor hand in hand with new love interest Molly Smith).
Shaughna’s mum Tracy Phillips tells Grazia that she’s not surprised that her 25-year-old daughter has picked herself up and moved on (on Tuesday night’s episode she went on a date with new lad Jamie Taylor). But she admits it was hard to watch her sobbing over Callum.
‘It’s been tough to watch because we preempted what was going to happen with Callum,’ says Tracy, who adds that the family feels that Shaughna has ‘dodged a bullet’ by getting out of that relationship. ‘Everyone can probably see they weren’t compatible,’ she says. ‘We wish Callum all the best but he wasn’t the person for Shaughna. They didn’t have that communication. Better that she dodged it now than wasted anymore time on a relationship which won’t go anywhere.’
As her mum, though, Tracy has seen her go through worse with previous break-ups. ‘Oh god, she’s had her heart broken badly. When you have been hurt, it knocks your confidence and she has been down on herself and does have insecurities and vulnerabilities, though I can see her confidence growing in the villa. Unfortunately her life experiences have taught her that she’s going to get hurt and knocked down, but these have attached to her armour.'
When the show ends on 23 February, the Islanders will have their pick of the endorsements and fashion ambassadorships to use their newly found social media influence on. Tracy says that Shaughna has her sights set on something bigger.
‘She went in there looking for love, but as an intelligent person she knows it will bring a whole load of other opportunities when she leaves,’ Tracy explains, adding that Shaughna, who now has almost 900,000 Instagram followers, has always been interested in getting into politics thanks to her work with Lambeth Council.
‘Her long-term aspirations have definitely been to be a voice of the public in terms of things which are relevant to her life: knife crime and gang culture, the postcode war. Her brother is only 18 and she is so worried about what’s going on the streets. She wants to talk about what can be done. If she gets to go to Number 10 that would be her ultimate dream.'
With the Love Island final around the corner, and Shaughna un-coupled up for now, Tracy says it doesn't matter if she leaves with a man or not. 'She’s won the hearts of the viewers who relate to her,' she says. 'If she won it, she would definitely faint. It would be a wonderful achievement for her. The confidence that would give her would be amazing. I think she’s a winner already. '
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Watch: Love Island's Shaughna Shares Her Incredible Make-Up Transformation
Love Island's Shaughna Phillips: She's Kind, Funny And Beloved By Everyone
Love island 2020: the female contestants
Love Island 2020 female contestants
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2 of 6Siannise Fudge
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3 of 6Shaughna Phillips
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