JACK Fowler found fame on Love Island on the back of having the perfect body – but that same body was left paralysed and wheelchair-bound after he was struck down by a terrifying disease.
The reality TV star, who is just 24, was left unable to walk earlier this year after he fell ill with a rare and aggressive neurological condition.
Personal trainer Jack endured an inflamed spine and damaged nerve fibres as a result of having transverse myelitis.
Medics still don’t know the cause and it only affects about 300 people a year.
But he was determined not to disappoint fans of the ITV2 show by presenting a less-than-idyllic image of his life.
So he continued to post photos of himself on social media, holidaying in sun-drenched destinations while he secretly had treatment.
He told the Oxford Union: “Instagram, social media is absolutely fake. At the start of this year — no one knows this — I had something called transverse myelitis.
“I lost all movement in my legs and my left arm, paralysed, I was in a wheelchair for two or three weeks.
“On my Instagram I was having a wicked time, I was having a great time.
“I was in Dubai, I was in Thailand for all of the two weeks because that’s the ’gram making it look like that.
“But realistically, I wasn’t — I was going through the hardest time of my life.”
Londoner Jack appeared on the 2018 series of Love Island, arriving on day 26 and getting dumped 27 days later.
Yet his good looks and chiselled body earned him an army of fans and followers on social media.
His Instagram account alone has 1.3million followers, which he uses to showcase his luxury lifestyle and provide workouts.
Jack made his health revelation as he spoke to the Oxford Union recently as part of a debate at the university called Should We Regret The Summer Of Love?
It saw former contestants including Malin Andersson and Amy Hart take part in a discussion with a feminist academic about the TV phenomenon and its impact on society.
Jack’s latest Instagram pictures show he has now made a full recovery.
But hopefully his words will show fans the difference between real life and the world of social media.
