Irish reality star Alan McGarry feels Love Islanders should embrace their cosmetic changes rather than hide them - revealing he has spent over €70,000 on work to look and feel his best.
A storm broke out on the reality show last week, when Sharon Gaffka and Faye Winter's lashed out at Hugo Hammond when he said he doesn't like girls who are "fake" during a game.
Quick witted Dubliner, Alan, 31, said the girls, who have admittedly gone under the knife before entering the show, should own their ‘work’ and act as ambassadors for others, like himself, who have also decided to enhance their looks.
He told the Irish Daily Mirror: “What’s the problem? A lot of them girls have admitted they have got work done.
“I mean who hasn’t these days.
“She should have just embraced it and get over it.
"She should have been a bit of an ambassador the the people at home and said you know what, Hugo might have said fake, but he’s right, we do get stuff done and what’s the problem and get on with it.”
Alan has been a familiar face on reality TV in Ireland and the UK in the past decade, debuting on E4’s Body Fixers before going on to appear on Blind Dates, Pulling with My Parents, and Virgin Media’s Eating with the Enemy earlier this year.
Opening about how his first first experience of fame and public opinion on Body Fixers, aged 22, inspired him to dabble in cosmetic enhancements at the start, he said he feels for the new cast of islanders who will have a newfound pressure as they are catapulted into the spotlight.
The Ballyfermot native, who told how he was left "traumatised" after the team behind E4's Body Fixers changed his hair colour from black to his natural red, recalled: “I just hated how I looked. And I remember coming home and people saying ginger this, ugly that.
“It was just horrible.
“So I just went and changed things, I dyed my hair black, I started getting facial procedures, my braces done, and continued to keep enhancing my look.
“And I don’t think I’ll be a stage I’ll stop.”
“Like last week or two weeks I actually had chin and jawline done because I thought my face was a bit chubby.
“I’m going to Turkey in August to get a bit more work, just to feel a bit better about myself. I suppose I put myself out there so much now that I'm always looking for that perfect look.
“And when you are on reality TV and Instagram and all that you kind of feel like you have to be picture ready all the time.
“That’s the pressure that I have now going forward, so I'll continue to enhance what I have.”
Whilst he’s proud to show off his work, Alan admitted it has been a huge expense over the years, as he prepares to spend €10,000 next month on new procedures in Turkey, including work on his stomach and chest, and a Brazilian bum lift.
He told: “It has cost me an arm and a leg. It’s going to cost me at least ten grand, in Turkey, for what I am getting done.
“I am looking for the sculpted look.”
“Over the past few years you are looking at close to €60/70k. Because I have been getting everything done since I was 22, and I’m 32 now in August, so definitely.
“Anyone who knows me knows everything I spend is spent on me.”
“I’m always getting something done, and I love sharing that with people.
He added: “It might inspire others, it might not, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but for anyone struggling with their appearance, it’s good for me to put myself forward and give them a bit of a platform so they feel comfortable to do something that I can do.”
“I always believe if you believe that something is not right, whether it is your weight or your look, change it if you feel it is right for you.
“But if you are confident in how you look, and are happy, and you can embrace that, then good for you.”
Alan has now joined forces with Tallafornia star Kelly Donegan, to host a new show on Instagram in which they talk about all aspects of life, including reality TV.
Their first show last Sunday had 10,000 listens, and Alan, despite some negative experiences on TV, Alan, who is also in talks to star in a show with MTV soon revealed he’s still determined to keep his dream alive.
“I definitely want to continue. I am in talks with MTV at the moment for a new show.
“It will be shown in 180 countries, including the USA, so they are mad to get me.
“I’ve always wanted to go and live in America and go and do TV in America so this could be my calling.
“So fingers crossed it will be something good. But someone like me I don’t think I’ll ever stop.
“I’ll always be on something or the other.”
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