Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison has opened up about some of the 'hateful' comments sent to her on social media during the latest lockdown.
The down-to-earth reality TV personality is concerned that people are projecting their frustration and anger onto others during this testing time.
The former I'm A Celebrity winner says over the past couple of weeks she's received 'some of the nastiest and most hurtful comments and DMs' she's ever had.
Vicky, who is on the mend after suffering from Covid-19, admits 2020 was 'an incredibly testing year for us all' and says the start of 2021 isn't what we had hoped for. But she says 'projecting hate won’t change that.'
She wrote alongside a makeup-free photo of herself: "People are sick, people are losing people they love and people have had enough! I get it! I completely get it!
"You’re allowed to be frustrated, you’re allowed to feel let down by how this has played out and you’re even allowed to to be angry. All of these feelings are human and no one would blame you.
"However, what you shouldn’t be doing with these feelings is projecting them on to others.
"And we all know this deep down- yet over the last couple weeks I’ve had some of the nastiest and most hurtful comments and dms I’ve ever had."
Explaining some of the messages she's received on social media, she said: "Just to give you guys a little bit of an idea of the things I’m being sent regularly: 'you really need to go to the gym', 'you really aren’t looking your best at the moment - you used to be so pretty', 'you’re a bully', 'you’re a terrible role model', oh and my personal favourite 'you seem so nice now but I remember when you were a horrible person on Geordie Shore so I’m just wondering at what point were you pretending - then or now?' and I’m the k***?"
She added: "I consider myself a strong woman with a great support structure around me but I’d be lying if I said this hateful diatribe didn’t wear me down - but I’m not the only person being exposed to this. I know that.
"So what about the young girls receiving this abuse who aren’t quite as thick skinned?
"What about them? We have lost too many brilliant young people to this mindless bullying and it’s beyond my comprehension that people still do not realise the gravity of their words and the hurt they can cause."
Vicky, 33, continued: "It’s 2021 and I understand it isn’t the start to the year we wanted, but projecting hate won’t change that. This year calls for kindness and compassion.
"So I urge everyone, in a world where you can be anything, be kind. Even on your bad days.
"And if you can’t, just be quiet."
Her words were cheered by stars including Charlotte Dawson, Hollyoaks actress Nikki Sanderson and Ulrika Johnson who said 'amen.'
One follower wrote: "The fact you even had to write this post makes me so sad!!
"You are a beautiful person inside and out and I couldn't have got through lockdown without your honest, open posts reminding me I'm not alone.
"You've been an incredible role model to me for 5 years and I wouldn't be the person I am today without you! "Never forget how amazing you are Vicky, love ya lots."
And another applauded: "Very well said."
