Love Island star Brad McClelland has revealed he has spoken to his long-lost sister for the first time after leaving the villa.
The 26-year-old labourer from Northumberland volunteered to quit the show after he and his partner, Lucinda Strafford, were voted the ITV2 programme’s least compatible couple last week.
He said he has now been in touch with his 15-year-old sister for the first time via FaceTime.
He told ITV’s Lorraine: “I grew up with my nana, my dad wasn’t on the scene.
“I always knew I had a younger sister, I tried to get in contact with her for years, searched for her on social media, all I had was her name.
“She reached out to me and I FaceTimed her a couple of days ago.
“If anything has come from my Love Island experience… I found love in a different way.
“She’s 15 and that’s the first time I’ve ever seen her. It means the world to me.
“I’m one of six, and my brothers and sisters are massive for me. I try to spend as much time as I can with them. To have another sibling is a massive thing.”
Discussing the bond he shares with his grandmother, Joyce, Brad said: “I’ve lived with my nana since I was four years old… we’ve been together, just me and her and our little dog for 21 years.
“We argue a lot but it’s natural… the respect I’ve got for her is massive. She basically ended her life to look after me.”
“She didn’t watch the show before I went on. She had no idea what it was, I think she complained (about) a few things that were happening on there!”
Asked how he felt about Lucinda, Brad said: “We got along so well, everything was easy-going. I just wish there was a bit more time for people to see what we had.
“Everyone in the villa could see it, I could see it. You didn’t get much time in that situation, one of us had to go.”
Love Island continues on ITV2 and the ITV Hub.