Love Island star Sharon Gaffka reveals cruel trolls compared her to convicted child killer Lucy Letby after she revealed she’d had an abortion

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Love Island’s Sharon Gaffka shared that she received hateful online comments comparing her to Lucy Letby following her abortion.

The 29-year-old, who first became known as a reality TV contestant in 2021, recently shared her difficult experience with an early medical abortion at home, describing it as painful, isolating, and deeply upsetting.

Sharon stated that while she doesn’t regret her abortion, it was the most difficult decision of her life.

The ex-government employee described how online harassers likened her to Lucy Letby, the child serial killer, after she posted her story on social media in June.

She shared her experience with having an abortion on the Her Discussions Podcast, in an interview with Dr. Faye Bate, according to NeedToKnow.

Honestly, hearing her say that just… wrecked me, but in the best way? It was about the hardest thing she’s ever done, she said, and even though people debate if it was the *correct* choice, she knows, deep down, it was absolutely the right one for *her*. It’s like, she’s so sure, and it just makes me love her even more. It was 100% the right decision, and that’s all that matters!

Honestly, I have zero regrets. People try to say it was the easy option, but believe me, it was anything *but* easy. It was incredibly tough, but I’d do it all again in a heartbeat. They just don’t understand!

It was deeply upsetting to deal with the emotional aftermath of such a physically challenging experience, and I received some truly awful messages.

Someone online started calling me ‘Lucy Letby 2.0,’ and I received threats of having my personal information publicly released, all because I shared that I had an abortion.

Dr. Bate explained that about one-third of women will have an abortion during their lives, emphasizing that this is a common experience and has always been the case.

‘Before it was legal, it’s gone on unsafely behind closed doors.’

Sharon shared that she had a miscarriage early in her pregnancy, only a few months after appearing on Love Island.

Last Saturday, Sharon used her Instagram account to share information about Baby Loss Awareness Week.

This week is Baby Loss Awareness Week, and I’ve been considering sharing this. Both my miscarriage and my abortion have deeply affected me, and I’m still discovering how they’ve changed me.

‘Both were losses. Both changed me. Both deserve compassion.

Dealing with baby loss is incredibly complex, bringing a mix of emotions like grief, guilt, relief, and love all at once. If you’ve experienced this, please remember you aren’t by yourself.

Fans thanked her for sharing her story.

They penned: ‘Sharon you are incredible and I am forever in awe of you.’,

Sending you lots of love and gratitude for sharing your story. It will likely make a real difference in someone else’s life, more than you know.

‘You are incredible. This is such an important conversation that will help so many people.’,

‘Thank you for sharing your story which will help so many women out there.’

In August 2023, Sharon revealed that she suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage back in 2021.

The reality star shared a tearful selfie on Instagram, along with a warning that her post might be upsetting, as she publicly revealed she had recently experienced a miscarriage for the first time.

Sharon shared that it had been difficult to talk about her miscarriage, something she’d been privately healing from for the past year and a half. She admitted she was initially afraid of what others might say.

In a heartfelt post, Sharon shared that the week would have been her baby’s first birthday, and the sadness surrounding the date felt overwhelming, like a sudden, powerful impact.

She explained that things had been ‘incredibly difficult’ for her and that she wasn’t sharing the news to gain sympathy, but to help herself heal.

She shared a deeply personal message, starting with a trigger warning about pregnancy loss. She explained that she’s been privately coping with a loss for the past eighteen months and is now finding the courage to talk about it, referencing the importance of kindness because you never know what hidden struggles someone might be facing.

It’s important to remember that everyone grieves differently. This week would have been my baby’s first birthday, had my pregnancy not ended in miscarriage, and the realization has been unexpectedly difficult. It’s been hard to cope with daily life as usual.

In the UK, about 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. While many people experience this loss, it’s been hard to find open conversations about the specific emotions those who don’t plan to have children feel when it happens.

Miscarriage can be especially confusing and painful for people who weren’t planning to have children. Because society often focuses on the expected joy of motherhood, it can be hard for them to find support or connect with others who understand their grief.

The celebrity explained that their recovery happened gradually, and surprisingly, one of their biggest fears was the public finding out and offering unwanted opinions.

After the initial sadness faded, I struggled with feeling like a failure. It was hard to reconcile that with how I’d always seen myself as successful. I realized this feeling was likely due to societal expectations about what women’s bodies are ‘meant’ to do, and that just made the grief even stronger.

Grief isn’t a straightforward journey, and it’s frustrating to hear that time simply fixes everything. This is particularly true after a miscarriage, especially for people who didn’t intend to have children. A range of feelings – sadness, confusion, guilt, or even a sense of relief – can come up, and it’s important to remember that all of these feelings are okay.

It’s important to talk openly about miscarriage. For people who aren’t planning to have children, sharing their experiences can help them feel understood, validated, and less alone.

I’m sharing this openly not to gain pity, but to help myself heal. Thank you for taking the time to read it.

Sharon’s post received many supportive comments from fans who shared their condolences after her loss.

Sharon was a contestant on the seventh season of the ITV2 dating show in 2021, but she was eliminated after just five episodes.

If this story has been upsetting, support is available at miscarriageassociation.org.uk or by phone at 01924 200 799.

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2025-10-14 10:53