The real reason Marcel Somerville wears a small white patch on his arm as it sparks mystery among All Stars viewers
LOVE Island star Marcel Somerville has sparked curiosity among All Stars viewers thanks to a small white patch often seen on his arm.
Marcel, who rose to fame during the 2017 season of Love Island, was diagnosed with a serious condition five years ago.
He lives with Type 1 diabetes and uses the patch to monitor his glucose levels.
The device helps him track his blood sugar in real time, ensuring his condition is carefully managed.
While fans speculated about its purpose, it has now been revealed that the patch is related to the management of his diabetes.
Marcel, 39, has always been open about his diabetes and how he manages it.
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The musician and former Blazin’ Squad member previously spoke publicly about his journey with diabetes, sharing tips and raising awareness to inspire others living with the condition.
Marcel told Boots’ podcast show, Taboo Talk, hosted by Vogue Williams: "It was during the Covid lockdown.
"I started feeling really tired and really ill, and I was going to the toilet like five to six times a night.”
He added: “I was trying to explain what was going on and [the doctor] was like, ‘this is really strange, we’re going to send you in for some blood tests’.”
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Marcel said the very next day he began vomiting.
"I just didn’t feel like myself. My wife called up 111 and was like, ‘my husband’s vomiting, he’s passing out’."
"I was reading about everything I was on the Diabetes UK website. I made contact with a lot of people to get information."
Marcel said he "just taking it on rather than panicking about things.”
He added: “I was taking on the information and noting it all down so I knew what I needed to do going forward."
He is now an ambassador for Dexcom who produce the smart device that sends glucouse readings every five minutes without the need for finger scanning.
Type 1 vs type 2 diabetes
There are two main types of diabetes, which causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high.
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce the hormone insulin.
It affects around 344,000 people in the UK.
Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is far more common, accounting for more than 90 per cent of the 4.4million adults with diabetes.
It occurs when the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body's cells don't react to it properly.
There are no lifestyle changes you can make to lower your risk of type 1 diabetes.
But you may be at higher risk of type 2 diabetes if you are overweight or obese, eat unhealthily, have a family history of the condition, take certain medications for a long time, have high blood pressure, and have had gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
People of Asian, Black African or African Caribbean origin are also at increased risk.
Source: NHS and Diabetes UK
This week Marcel was reunited with his ex Gabby Allen.
He split from Gabby when she caught him cheating on her while they were on holiday together.
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And awkwardly the public voted to put Marcel and Gabby in a couple.
Marcel is currently in the process of divorcing his wife Rebecca Vieira after she was accused of cheating on him.
