Dethroned Miss GB Zara Holland slams pageant chiefs for taking away her title saying ‘having sex on TV isn’t a crime’
Love Island beauty was devastated after being stripped of title following romp on reality show
IT is the beauty contest that has turned very ugly.
Stunning Miss Great Britain Zara Holland was devastated when po- faced contest organisers unceremoniously stripped her of her title last week following her sex romp on telly’s Love Island reality show.
But today, in an exclusive interview with The Sun, the 20-year-old beauty hits back, blasting: “I’ve done nothing wrong.
“All women have needs.”
Model Zara, who won the Miss GB title in September, was filmed bedding fellow Love Island contestant Alex Bowen, who had been on the programme for less than 24 hours.
But she insists she should be allowed to have a one-night stand and believes that pageant chiefs were wrong to take away her title.
She says: “There is nothing wrong with having sex on TV.
“I knew what I was signing up for — it is Love Island.
“I am a 20-year-old girl who was in the moment.
“There are lots of girls my age who go out every week and do that — mine was just on national TV.
“I didn’t feel pressured in any way, I am standing up to it.
“I haven’t committed a crime, so why should I have my title taken from me?
“It’s horrific.”
Single girl Zara says she had never had a one-night stand before her on-screen liaison with 24-year-old model Alex, who is Vicky Pattison’s ex.
The romp took place during last Wednesday’s episode of the ITV2 show when the pair stayed overnight in the Majorca villa’s Hideaway room, away from the other contestants, and was seen by around a million viewers.
During the intimate scenes the pair were seen having sex beneath the covers, with Zara licking her lips as she finished her moment of passion.
“I went with my heart and I wanted to get to know Alex, one on one.
“On the night I had a few glasses of champagne, which definitely got the better of me.
“I forgot that the cameras were there.
“I don’t blame the alcohol though, I knew what I was doing, but it gave me confidence.
“I had no doubts I wanted to stay overnight in the hideaway.
“If you have a one-night stand and wake up in the morning feeling happy, then that’s great.
“I mean, every girl has needs.”
She says: “I never thought I was going to jump into bed with him but one thing did lead to another.
Zara, from Hull, East Yorks, left the programme on Sunday to be with her mum Cheryl after she was taken ill.
She continues: “I don’t regret anything.
“I was in the villa for three weeks, I had the time of my life.
“Everyone was having sex at night, having fun.”
Indeed, six other couples have done the deed on screen but Zara has been the only contestant to be shamed for her behaviour.
Fellow former Miss Great Britain winner Sophie Gradon, 30, gave in to her urges and had sex in a wardrobe with Welsh hunk Tom Powell, 24, while most of the show’s couples have had sex simultaneously in their shared room as soon as the lights turn off.
Meanwhile the Miss Great Britain pageant organisers have not even bothered to explain why they took away Zara’s title.
The organisation said it could no longer “promote Zara as a positive role model” because she had failed to “uphold the responsibility expected of the title.”
It previously told The Sun how it had warned her against having sex during her time on the programme — but Zara insists: “Miss Great Britain did not tell me I couldn’t have sex on the show.
“They gave a written letter of permission to say I could do Love Island and they haven’t spoken to me since, which I am very confused about.
“The only thing I have seen is a statement on Twitter.
“I am very disappointed.
“I put so much time and effort into the Miss GB brand.
“I sacrificed my work, my own personal savings, I worked my ass off.
“It was horrific to lose the Miss GB title.
“All the things Miss GB claims to stand for have been used against me.”
Now a petition calling for Zara to be reinstated has been signed by 12,000 people.
The campaign on website change.org, Give Zara Holland Her Miss GB Title Back, describes her treatment as a “harsh punishment”.
And Love Island host Caroline Flack has also blasted organisers for their old-fashioned stance.
She wrote: “Feel even more sorry for Zara now she’s been de-crowned.
“She’s a very sweet girl.
“What even is ‘Miss GB’?
“Are we living in the dark ages?”
However yesterday Zara’s Miss GB replacement, 28-year-old Deone Robertson, spoke out in support of the decision.
She said: “We are supposed to be role models for young girls.
“You can’t be seen naked or topless and you definitely cannot have sex on TV.”
Even so, Zara says: “Well, if that’s her opinion, let her have it.”
Her only regret, she adds, is that her actions might have reflected badly on her family.
She says: “It wasn’t me but everyone makes mistakes in their life.
“I feel I let everybody down.
“My mum seeing it on TV was the worst thing to ever happen.
“I was mortified, horrified.
“But it has happened now and I can only move forward.”