A STUDENT nurse of Asian origin, who worked 12-hour shifts in the Covid-19 ward until a few months ago, may soon be the next "Islander" in the ITV show Love Island, recent media reports have claimed.
Priya Gopaldas, 23, is rumoured to be the upcoming contestant in the reality ITV2 show. She is isolating in Majorca ahead of her arrival on the show, which could be later this week, reports claimed.
“Priya will turn heads for sure. She's beautiful, intelligent and has a heart of gold. The guys will be scrambling over her if she gets the nod,” Mail Online reported on Thursday (5), citing a TV source who added that “the guys will be scrambling over her if she gets the nod”.
Four Islanders left last night following the results of a public vote, but it won't be long until the numbers are bumped up again with fresh contestants, among which Gopaldas is expected to top the charts.
A fifth-year medical student at University College London, Gopaldas worked on the Covid-19 Intensive Care Unit earlier this year.
Despite being still a student, she claimed to have volunteered her services on the Covid ward post-Christmas in the intensive care unit at UCL Hospital, after students based at the UCLH were contacted asking if they could assist in tackling the mounting cases.
She worked six-day, 12-hour night shifts in the understaffed department, supporting doctors and nurses, reports said.
Describing her work as a “daunting experience” at the time, she wrote in UCL Media that she “was shocked to see just how ill patients were”.
Apart from being a medic, the Londoner is also a keen runner.
"I find that long-distance running has not only helped to develop my stamina, but also my mental strength and resilience," she said last year.
"I now constantly feel ready to deal with any challenges that arise."
A self-proclaimed globe trotter, she has visited countries including Tanzania, Macedonia, Italy, Jamaica and France over the past two years – most of which she documented on her Instagram page.
If Gopaldas does enter the series as it goes into its final weeks, her arrival may shake things up.
The entry of British-Asian beauty may remind the viewers of Dr Alex, who took some time out from his career to take part in the show and has since returned to work for the NHS.
Damian Talbot