Greg O’Shea has revealed he doesn’t feel like he earned his massive following, after his Love Island success made him the most followed rugby player on Instagram in the world.
The Limerick native opened up about his instant success following last year’s show, which saw him crowned winner alongside Amber Rose Gill.
The reality star, who has over 1.2 million followers, revealed to Today FM’s Anna Geary and Dec Pierce that he doesn’t feel he “earned” the following.
“I don’t feel like I earned [the followers]… It was just an instant, overnight , 13-day success and millions of people followed me.”
“Whatever it is about growing up and playing sports in Ireland, you feel like you’ve to earn everything,” he admitted.
“I try to keep my feet on the ground and my friends and family are making sure of that alright.”
The reality star joked that lockdown life was “literally the same” as his 13-day stint in last year’s Love Island villa, “All you’re missing is being in front of the camera and about 20 English people you don’t know!”
Greg also opened up about balancing his newfound celebrity lifestyle with his sporting career.
“I always had the Olympics in my head as the goal for me…so no matter what was happening with me and Love Island, I was always coming home to try and get there with the boys.”
“It just happens that I ended up winning the show and everyone expected me to move to London and do the whole celebrity life… and I was like ‘lads, I’m going home, I’ve training.’”
He added: “I stuck to my morals and I’m happy. I’ve just stuck to my Irish roots.”
The 25-year-old revealed he was grateful to the Irish people for their support when he left the villa.
“It’s great to feel like people supported me and backed me because I obviously got a lot of crap as well for not following the Love Island pathway as you’re supposed to do.”
“But the Irish people supported me and that’s why I’m lucky to be home.”
Greg recently revealed in an exclusive interview that he faced backlash after the show, following his public split with Amber who claimed he “dumped her by text”.
On the latest episode of Goss Chats, Ali Ryan sits down with Selling Sunset’s Christine Quinn, who reveals the real drama between the women on the show, and how she battled coronavirus on her wedding day.
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