The Surprising Way Priya From Love Island Spent The Money She Got From The Show
Priya Gopaldas entered the 2021 "Love Island" villa quite late in the series, but she certainly had an effect on the islanders. Within a few days, the medical student ended up in quite the love triangle (per Radio Times) when she had to choose between Brett Staniland and Matthew MacNabb.
Gopaldas decided to go with Staniland, which eventually became her downfall as the pair were sent packing a few days later after the contestants were asked to dump the villa's least compatible couple, leading to a public vote (via Metro). Even though Gopaldas missed out on the £50,000 winnings that finalists Millie Court and Liam Reardon received in the finale (via BBC News), she still received a fair amount of money for her appearance on the show.
According to The Sun, contestants are paid £250 a week for appearing on "Love Island" which is given by ITV to cover bills, rent, and other necessities that they've left behind at home. Golpados revealed that she was given £750 by the broadcaster for her appearance on the show (via Spin Southwest), but what did she spend it on?
Priya Gopaldas wants to use her new platform to promote and support the NHS in the UK
Posting to her Instagram Stories after receiving the paycheck, Priya Gopaldas took a screenshot of the bill before donating her "Love Island" salary to NHS Charities Together via Virgin Money Giving, as noted by the Independent. The group consists of 240 NHS charities that provide mental health, ambulance, and community health services in the U.K.
A medical student herself, Gopaldas has also been working as a part-time student nurse at the University College London and has been working in the ICU to help with Covid patients. "The NHS has been really tough in the ICU with the long hours, but I find it so rewarding and it's made me really resilient," she told Radio Times.
Speaking to "Lorraine" presenter Christine Lampard after her exit from the villa, Gopaldas said she hopes to use her rise in influence to promote and support the NHS. "I've already started working on a campaign for the vaccine for 16 and 17-year-olds," she explained (via the Independent). "So I want to go down that route and continue my studies, absolutely."