Megan Barton Hanson pens emotional tribute to Mike Thalassitis as she claims she was 'cast as the pantomime villain' in Love Island

Megan Barton Hanson has claimed she was “cast as the pantomime villain” in Love Island as she penned an emotional tribute to Mike Thalassitis.

Barton Hanson said she “broke down in tears” when she heard about the 26-year-old’s death, feeling an instant connection with him having both been on Love Island.

She said she felt she could relate to how Thalassitis had been portrayed on the ITV2 show, which saw him given the moniker “Muggy Mike,” and how he had to deal with what had been written about him when he came out of the villa.

“A lot of his friends have talked about the gap between ‘Muggy’ Mike and the person he was in private and I think that’s the same for most reality stars,” Barton Hanson wrote in The Sun.

“I know more than anyone. When I entered the Love Island villa I knew that I was outspoken and that I wouldn’t be everyone’s favourite person – but nothing could really prepare me for the vitriol I received, however much ITV tried.”

The reality star defended the broadcaster, explaining that she had received a high level of support after preparing to reenter the outside world – something that a few former stars have criticised the show for.

She wrote: “When I came out of the villa ITV sat down with me and went through everything that had happened to make sure I was prepared but really – how can you be?

“I was just an ordinary girl who had been cast as a pantomime villain because Wes and I hooked up when he was still with Laura - yet he was seen as the golden boy.

“I always understood that there was going to be a price to pay for the celebrity that followed Love Island, but even I couldn’t envisage how high it would be.”

Barton Hanson also regaled her experiences of trolling and cruel comments on social media in the months that have followed the popular show, including the aftermath of her split with Wes Nelson.

She concluded that she “didn’t blame ITV” because they had been in “regular contact” but said that she “wished Thalassitis had had somebody to talk to”.