Love Island star Montana Brown hits out at Covidiot influencers as she denies fleeing lockdown

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MONTANA Brown made her name sunbathing in warmer climes with fellow wannabes on Love Island.

Now, like other stars from the hit ITV show and some social media influencers, she has come under fire for escaping the third national lockdown by jetting off to a far-flung winter hotspot.

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Montana Brown has come under fire for escaping the third national lockdown

But Montana, 24, who has been in Barbados since December, insists that she is no Covidiot because she has been staying with family who live there.

In an exclusive interview, she also tells how she wanted to distance herself from other “insensitive and irresponsible” celebs who are posting pictures of their partying while people back home battle the pandemic.

Montana told HOAR on Sunday: “I travelled before there was a national lockdown to see my family, so it was legal for me to travel. I spent Christmas out here.

“I’ve been here ever since and haven’t moved. I actually haven’t dealt with that much hate online because of that.

But the Love Island star insists she jetted off to sunny Barbados before restrictions came into place

“I do think it is insensitive and irresponsible to put on social media that you’re partying or with a large group of people, as it’s rightly seen as wrong by people who are losing family members and losing their businesses.

“A lot of people’s worlds are crashing down around them. We have a social responsibility to stick to the guidelines in some capacity and just be aware that other people are going through hell.”

NIGHTMARE SPLIT

Today, Montana also reveals the recent split from her boyfriend of two years left her so dejected she was unable to get out of bed.

She has now resorted to online dating but wants an “ordinary man” because celebrities bring too much drama.

Montana shot to fame on 2017’s Love Island — after having sex with housemate Alex Beattie as the cameras rolled.

She insists there is a big difference between her latest trip and those of celebrities who have been accused of “dodging” stringent travel restrictions by insisting they are working in resorts such as Dubai.

She is currently staying with family and working on her new swimwear brand

Fellow Love Islanders Ellie Brown, 22, Amber Gill, 23, and Georgia Harrison, 26, were all on “work trips” and posted pictures from the sun in Dubai last month.

It has led to critics — including Montana’s friend Olivia Attwood, 29 — questioning whether any travel is right during a lockdown.

But Montana, who this week revealed on Instagram how she was struggling to find content to keep her online fans happy, is keen to distance herself from the others, admitting she is also using her time in Barbados with family to launch a swimwear brand.

She said: “Olivia’s point is a good one. I can come home if I want to but it’s actually safest for me to be here and to stick to the guidelines in Barbados.

Montana split from model boyfriend Elliott Reeder this time last year

“I’ve made that decision so I’ve actually started my swimsuit company in lockdown. It’s been really difficult to keep that going.

“After spending Christmas with my family here, it makes more sense to stay and launch my swimwear firm than in the cold, freezing UK.”

This time last year, Montana was rocked when her model boyfriend Elliott Reeder, 25, broke up with her.

The pair had been on holidays and moved in together.

The pair had been on holidays and moved in together

She admitted the break-up hit her hard, adding: “I couldn’t get out of bed during the first lockdown when I split up with Elliot.

“I am, unfortunately, a person who is not good at admitting when I’m upset or sad. I try to pretend I’m fine. Actually, I wasn’t. I was miserable. I wanted the world to swallow me up.

“My anxiety and mental health issues made me reappraise my life, and wake up and smell the coffee. Now I love being single.”

Since the split, Montana has hurled herself into online dating — with not much choice due to the Covid restrictions.

She admits the break-up hit her hard, saying ‘I couldn’t get out of bed’

She said: “I’ve had a great time dating virtually this lockdown, as people are more available.

“We’ve played games, chatted and that’s it. I’ve used Plenty Of Fish and Hinge but personally I think Bumble is great, empowering women to make the first move. I’m all for making the first move.”

But she admitted it can be challenging being a celebrity on first dates.

She said: “It makes it 100 per cent trickier because you tend to connect with people who are also famous, which is something that I’ve actively wanted to avoid because I think it’s just more drama.

Montana previously dated fellow Love Island contestant Alex Beattie

“But it also happens that celebrities are the easiest type of person to date because they know the deal. They know how to keep it a secret. But I would prefer to date someone who has a normal occupation.

“One of my friends signed me up to Bumble and I just couldn’t cope.

“I was getting so many DMs saying, ‘Is that you from Love Island? Oh My God. Are you on Bumble?’ I found it overwhelming.

“I’m not looking to be in something serious at this time. I’m trying to keep everything chilled, so I ended up deleting the app.” But it is online trolls that are her biggest bugbear.

She shot to fame on the 2017 series

Since her break-up, Montana has thrown herself into online dating

She said she was forced to confront a troll after they insulted her friend and Dancing On Ice star Rebekah Vardy who is locked in a legal case with Coleen Rooney.

Montana made it very clear where her allegiances lie.

PALS WITH CHER

She said: “Some of the abuse is vile. I don’t normally interact with trolls but when one picked on my friend Rebekah Vardy I had to stick up for her. I’m always on her side.

“People shouldn’t shove hate in her face when they don’t know the full story. She has a hard time.”

Montana said she is now friends with singer Cher and Aussie comedian Rebel Wilson after meeting them both at awards ceremonies. She said: “I’ve gossiped with Cher and she was really friendly. We get on well.

“I met Rebel Wilson at a film festival a couple of years ago and we’re really good friends. She gives me the best advice.”

Unlike many of her co-stars, Montana hasn’t been rubbing her good fortune in her followers’ faces

Montana is also in fantastic shape and puts that down to boxing training.

She added: “I’ve been boxing and I want to have a competitive fight. I haven’t actually done any training since before Christmas. I’m lucky that I’ve got good genes. My weight doesn’t really fluctuate.

“I got a lot of love when I posted a topless picture on Instagram but I don’t look like that on a daily basis.”

Now Montana, who lives in Hertfordshire, is starring in new MTV series Celebs On The Farm — a take on the original show that was infamous for featuring David Beckham’s ex-PA Rebecca Loos having to get too close to a pig.

She agrees with Olivia Attwood, who questioned whether any travel is right during a lockdown

She appears alongside actress Linda Robson, Duncan James from Blue, former EastEnders actor Shaun Williamson and socialite Lady Colin Campbell tomorrow night.

Montana revealed she was crestfallen when she discovered singer Duncan’s sexuality.

She says ‘we have a social responsibility to stick to the guidelines’

She said: “I was so upset when I found out that Duncan was gay. I honestly fell in love with him. He is beautiful.”

And she added: “On the show I loved getting dirty and getting stuck in.

“The challenges were seriously hands-on — particularly the pig sexing. But don’t worry, I won’t be the next Rebecca Loos.”

  • Celebs on the Farm starts on MTV tomorrow at 9pm, and continues every week night for two weeks. 

Montana is currently starring in MTV’s new series Celebs On The Farm

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