‘I was devastated I had to resign’: Love Island’s Paige Thorne reveals she was forced to quit paramedic job to go on the show after NHS feared backlash
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Paige Thorne has revealed she was forced to quit her job as a paramedic to go on Love Island after NHS bosses feared backlash on Thursday.
The Swansea native, 24, told Sharron Gaffka she was ‘devastated to resign’ after trying ‘every single avenue’ to keep her job during the extended break.
Paige, who finished in fifth place alongside Adam Collard on this year’s series, explained that despite managers being ‘supportive’ she had no other choice.
‘Devastating’: Paige Thorne has revealed she was forced to quit her job as a paramedic to go on Love Island after NHS bosses feared backlash on Thursday
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Speaking on the Girls Know Nothing podcast, she explained: ‘When I did tell work I needed the time off to go in [to the villa], my manager was so supportive and she 100 per cent backed me every step of the way.
‘But the only thing was, I tried all ways to keep my job and do Love Island at the same time.
‘I said to my manager “It’s a massive opportunity, is there any way I can do it?” I tried taking annual leave, unpaid leave, a career break, I tried every single avenue possible to keep my job as well as do Love Island.’
The Swansea native told Sharron Gaffka she was ‘devastated to resign’ after trying ‘every single avenue’ to keep her job
At work: Paige continued: ‘But the only thing was, I tried all ways to keep my job and do Love Island at the same time’
She continued: ‘Unfortunately, because paramedics and the ambulance service and the NHS in general get such bad backlash about waiting times and being understaffed, I think, they were like, ‘Yes, we want to fully support you.’
‘But they were worried that when I went in people would be like, “Oh, the NHS is struggling this much and paramedics are struggling this much and you’ve let one have time off to go into Love Island.”
‘It might’ve created more bad press and bad backlash that they just didn’t need. Which I totally understand. So the only option I had was to resign, which I was devastated about.’
Backlash: She said: ‘They were worried that people would be like, “Oh, the NHS is struggling this much and paramedics are struggling this much and you’ve let one have time off”
Paige explained how bosses explained that if everything went ok during the show, she would be able to return as a Bank Paramedic.
She added: ‘Being on a Bank contract means I can pick and choose when I work my shifts and what would work for me.
‘So having a Bank contract means I can have the best of both worlds.’
As it happens Paige was back in the office just two weeks after the show ended ahead of her planned return to her day job.
Return: As it happens Paige was back in the office just two weeks after the show ended ahead of her planned return to her day job
Taking to Instagram earlier this week, Paige shared a clip of herself reuniting with some of her co-workers, who were all in uniform.
The reality star looked sensational in the video as she donned a dark brown low-cut top along with an open white shirt.
Paige was all smiles as she caught up with her work colleagues and captioned the video with a series of hearts.
It appeared to be a fleeting visit for the star however a she later shared a snap of herself going through Bristol Airport for a trip.
Overjoyed: Taking to Instagram on Monday, Paige shared a clip of herself reuniting with some of her co-workers, who were all in uniform
It comes after Paige recently said she plans on returning to work as a paramedic following her Love Island success.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine, she said: ‘I’ve got a meeting to go back to paramedic work as well, so that will be exciting. I actually saw an ambulance the other day with sirens on.
‘I had like serious FOMO! I was like, “Get me my ambulance back!” So I’m going to go back into that a little bit and just see what opportunities come from that.
‘It’s one of those things – I genuinely just love my job. So why wouldn’t I want to go back to it? I really enjoyed it. But I’ll do other things alongside it.’
Stunning: It appeared to be a fleeting visit for the star however a she later shared a snap of herself going through Bristol Airport for a trip
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