Love Island’s Harriett Blackmore discusses viral video controversy

Love Island star Harriett Blackmore has spoken out about the controversy over a video that went viral on social media.

The contestant, who was recently confirmed for the new season of the ITV2 show, can be seen in the clip intervening when a person filming tries to confront a man whose face is covered over his alleged behaviour. Blackmore repeatedly says he is a “Premier League footballer”.

Blackmore was questioned about the situation before the start of Love Island and said she had not seen the video as she did not have access to her phone.

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“If you’ve seen it, you can obviously see that I’m just trying to defuse the situation,” she told the media (via RadioTimes.com).

“It was actually one of my really good friends who is in the public eye, he’s a football player. And these fans and people kind of provoked him.”

The contestant claimed that she and her friends were “just trying to enjoy our evening” and that it was not “fair” that someone was filming the whole thing and “putting cameras in his face.”

“There’s nothing to say about that, really. I was just trying to mediate the situation and get her away from him,” she added.

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Meanwhile, ITV has responded to allegations made on social media that Blackmore has a “secret” boyfriend, confirming that she and her boyfriend split earlier this year.

“Harriett split from her partner of three years in January and has been single since,” the broadcaster told The Mirror. “The couple remain in contact but the relationship ended earlier this year.”

Blackmore, who is from Brighton, has a background as a dancer and personal shopper and said ahead of her appearance on the show that she hoped to “provide entertainment for everyone in the villa”.

Love Island will be broadcast on ITV2 and streamed on ITVX.

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