Paige Thorne Forced To Quit Paramedic Job Before Love Island Over Fears Of NHS Backlash

19 August 2022, 11:36 | Updated: 19 August 2022, 11:45

Love Island star Paige Thorne had no choice but to quit her job as a paramedic before going into Love Island.

Paige Thorne spoke to ex Love Islander Sharon Gaffka, who appeared on the 2021 series, about how she was forced to quit her job as a paramedic after signing up to the show.

The 24-year-old, who left the villa with boyfriend Adam Collard, wanted to keep her job open so that she could easily return after, but was told by her management that wasn’t an option.

On the Girls Know Nothing podcast she said she ‘tried everything’ to keep her job as an option, but the NHS feared the backlash they could receive if they let an employ leave for three months just to return after.

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Paige recalled: “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.

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“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.”

Paige went on: “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.

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“So the only option I had was to resign, which I was devastated about.”

Paige said that now she’s returned to normal life she was able to resume the job as a Bank Paramedic.

She explained: “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.”

Paige was back in the office just two weeks after Love Island ended, filming herself during a catch-up with some of her colleagues.

In a recent interview the reality star said she had ‘FOMO’ when she saw an ambulance with the sirens on and that she couldn’t wait to get back to work.

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