school trauma
LOVE Island's Adam Collard looks unrecognisable in a throwback photo as he opens up about being bullied at school.
The 22-year-old certainly turned plenty of heads in the villa thanks to his dashing good looks and ripped physique.
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But appearing on Lorraine yesterday, Adam admitted it was a totally different story growing up, and he was bullied for being overweight.
He said: "I was quite overweight, all the way up to 16. But I could come home and get away from it then.
"But when it's on Instagram and Twitter, you can't really get away from it.
"I had a right time in school with people... got picked on and stuff like that.
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"Just standard stuff that everyone gets but I took it to heart a lot more than other people."
Since leaving the villa, Adam - and Love Island girlfriend Zara McDermott - have both had to deal with nasty comments about their appearance from online trolls.
The personal trainer told host Christine Lampard: "We are normal people, just because we have a blue tick... we're not a punch bag."
Zara, 21, also spoke about how she deals with the online abuse, saying: "I can’t empathise with someone else who chooses to comment negatively on my appearance because I would never do it to anyone else.
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"I’m finding it so difficult not to defend myself against things. I’ve not had surgery.
"I’m not going to allow someone to cast that judgement on me when it’s not true.”
Adam also commented on the death of his late friend - and former Love Island contestant - Sophie Gradon, who was found dead in her Newcastle home at the age of just 32.
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He said: "She was in my friendship group as well.
"When I knew Sophie, she was one of the strongest girls I knew. It proves it can get to anyone and people need to really think.”
The couple also revealed yesterday they are moving in together.
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