Love Island 2016 winner Cara De La Hoyde warns new stars: ‘The show broke my heart and it will break yours too’
THE pregnant winner of last year’s Love Island has warned its new stars: “The show broke my heart and it will break yours too.”
Cara De La Hoyde, 27, split up with Nathan Massey, 25, in April — just weeks after finding out she was expecting his baby.
And the dancer claims the intense demands of becoming a celebrity couple after leaving the hit show eventually destroyed their relationship.
Cara said: “There is a lot of pressure to be perfect.
“The contestants from this year’s show probably won’t listen to me now but honestly, for their own sanity, they must take their time or their relationships will end up in heartbreak.”
The Sun can reveal one of this year’s couples, Montana Brown, 21, and Alex Beattie, 22, have already secretly split — just days after the hit series ended.
Last year London-based Cara moved to Essex to live with carpenter Nathan after their Love Island win — to keep the relationship serious and help land magazine deals.
But Cara was regularly left feeling insecure at home alone while Nathan made lucrative nightclub appearances around the country.
She says she struggled to deal with pictures on social media of female clubbers draped over her boyfriend during the first few months of their relationship.
Cara said: “I became very insecure when he was out doing public appearances.
“It wasn’t like he was cheating on me but one minute you’re at home with your man and the next thing nightclubs are booking him and there are hundreds of girls flocking there to see him.
“When that first happened I was like, ‘Oh my God’.
“And then you start to doubt the relationship because, in reality, we don’t know each other that well.
“Nathan would reassure me and say I had nothing to worry about because I fell in love with Nathan Massey the carpenter and all those girls have fallen in love with Nathan from Love Island.”
Cara has warned 2017 winners Kem Cetinay, 21, and Amber Davies, 20, that life after leaving the Love Island “bubble” is far from easy.
She added: “Living and working together was too much – it was really hard work.
“At the time everyone was telling us to slow down but we didn’t listen because we thought we knew best. But everything moved too quickly for us.
“We should have waited and moved in together at the end of the year. I moved and I felt secluded in Essex.”
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However, despite her heartbreaking split with Nathan, Cara insists she has no regrets about going on the show — and adored this year’s series.
She credits the programme for helping her build a successful career, reportedly earning her up to £1million.
Cara said: “I changed management and now I’m reaping the rewards from being on Love Island career-wise.
“The last couple of months have been tough but Love Island was the best thing I have ever done and I’m still a huge fan — I watched every episode this year.
“None of us had a clue last series – no one knew what would come from it.
"I’ve worked with some amazing brands that wouldn’t have even known my name before and now I have advertised their clothes.
“I’m also in talks to write a book about the new baby and my time on Love Island.”
And with a baby on the way there is still a chance Cara and Nathan may patch up their relationship.
She said: “People question how I can be pregnant and not with Nathan.
"But I would rather go through this now without the baby here.
“I am learning how to be on my own now before I have to learn how to be a mum too.
“We’re working on our relationship as friends and it is going really well.
"We want to make sure we are strong for when the baby arrives.”
What couples did next
Montana & Alex
MONTANA Brown and Alex Beattie have secretly ended their romance – just days after leaving the villa.
The couple, fifth in this year’s series, have not seen each other since landing back in the UK, but will put on a “united front” for Sunday’s ITV2 reunion.
A source said: “Montana is keen to follow her dreams as a TV presenter and has been attending meetings this week.
“She doesn’t like partying so personal appearances in nightclubs aren’t really her thing.
"She is ambitious and very much a career woman – her relationship with Alex is going to take a back seat.”
Montana, 21, said on TV’s This Morning that she does not love Alex, 22, despite him declaring his affection for her.
Kady & Scott
KADY McDermott and Scott Thomas are still going strong and their sex life is even better a year after romping on the show.
The 2016 finalists admit they were not the raunchiest pair on the island.
Kady, 21, said: “Scott and I really held back compared to everyone else. I was paranoid about having sex in the villa. It made me cringe.
"He didn’t disappoint once we left. Our sex life is better now.”
She moved to Manchester from Hertfordshire to set up home with Scott, 28.
They have also raked in about £1million together.
Kady launched a line of beauty products and runs an online fitness plan.
She said: “It wouldn’t have happened without Love Island. It gave me the platform I needed.”
Rachel & Rykard
RYKARD Jenkins and Rachel Fenton remain together one year on after refusing to play the fame game.
The couple turned down several TV shows and went back to their day jobs.
Rachel, 24, from Hampshire, said: “For me it was either a relationship or fame.
“We went back to normality. I’m still working as a nurse and Rykard returned to his personal training.”
Rykard, 26, added: “You have got to lead a normal life. Go to work, come back to your missus and tell them about your day.”
He reckons this year’s contestants were more interested in exposure than romance.
He said: “It was really sad to see and if you’re that way inclined you won’t have a happy relationship.”
The other 2016 stars
LAST year’s runners-up Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen got engaged on New Year’s Eve in New York.
Olivia showed off her engagement ring on Instagram. They are the only couple from last year to be tying the knot.
Emma Woodham and Terry Walsh, who had sex on top of covers in the communal bedroom, were together eight months.
Sophie Gradon and Tom Powell, who romped in a wardrobe, split within weeks.
Terry tweeted: “We’re still friends. One chapter closes another must open.”
Sophie has since hooked up with Ashley Ienco, whom she met when he was trying for a place on the show.
Former Miss GB Zara Holland was stripped of her crown after she bedded Alex Bowen on screen.