'Plenty of eyebrows were raised!': Love Island 2021 star Sharon Gaffka 'causes a stir in Whitehall after NOT telling her colleagues she's going into the villa'
Love Island 2021 star Sharon Gaffka reportedly left some of her ex-colleagues at the Department For Transport in shock after she was announced as part of the line-up.
The beauty queen, 25, who has been a civil servant for seven years, is thought to have not told her former employer that she was heading to the Majorcan villa.
Speaking with The Mirror on Tuesday, a ministerial department source claimed that 'plenty of eyebrows were raised' by the unexpected news.
'It was surprising!': Love Island 2021 star Sharon Gaffka reportedly left some ex-colleagues at the Department For Transport in shock after she was announced as part of the line-up
They said: 'It was surprising to see the Love Island line-up... plenty of eyebrows were raised.
'But everyone thinks the DfT is potholes and bus stops, so it's great to see a former colleague bringing a bit of glamour to the Department For Transport.'
It is thought that Sharon had been working for around six months as a contracted employee in the department and ended her contract ahead of Love Island.
MailOnline has contacted a Love Island representative for further comment.
What a change: The former beauty queen, 25, is thought to have not told her employer she was heading to the villa for the new series which kicks off on Monday (pictured in February)
Sharon is not the first Islander to step away from her civil service job for a stint in the villa looking for love, with Zara McDermott also taking a 'career break' in 2018.
Zara had been a policy advisor and worked for the then Education Secretary Damian Hinds before swapping her day job for reality TV stardom.
Oxford-born Sharon was last working as an operations lead for the Department Of Transport.
Detailing her 'intense' job ahead of going on the ITV reality show, she revealed she's spent the past year working on policy for Brexit and the government's transition period after the UK left the European Union.
Stunning: The law graduate, who won Miss International UK in 2018 (right), was last working as an operations lead for the DfT but a source said she ended her contract ahead of Love Island
What a year! Detailing her 'intense' job ahead of going on the reality show, Sharon revealed she's worked on policy for Brexit and the transition period after the UK left the EU last year
She added: 'I've been a civil servant since I was 18. I've worked in lots of different departments.
'I've been doing Brexit policy for the last year, I did a stint during the Coronavirus pandemic in the Department of Health so I was helping deliver testing kits and managing the operations. It's been an intense year!'
Sharon also told how she decided to apply for the show as she's only the single girl in her friendship group after her dating life was halted by the Covid pandemic.
Sharon also said she's already crossed paths with a Love Island veteran, as she and 2019 star Molly-Mae Hague had the same pagent director when she won Miss International UK.
Describing her ideal partner she continues: 'I have this thing where if something doesn't work out with one person, I'll try and go for the other extreme to see if that works out.
'I tend to date someone who is taller than me even though my last long-term partner he was actually someone who was shorter than me. I'm quite an intellectual person so I want someone who can kind of match that.
'Somebody who can make me laugh and I can be myself around. I'm really clumsy and goofy. On social media, I look really put together but my friends who know me know I'll fall down the stairs.'
And asked what she's looking forward to most in the villa, Sharon says: 'Having a bit of normality. I live on my own so actually getting to see people on a daily basis.
'There are so many rules with dating and all of that is taken away. I don't have to do any weird guessing games. I don't have to think about when I'll next speak to him because he's sharing a bed with me.'
Love Island returns on Monday June 28 at 9pm on ITV2 and the ITVHub - it is hosted by Laura Whitmore
LOVE ISLAND 2021: MEET THE CONTESTANTS
Sharon Gaffka, 25
Name: Sharon Gaffka
Age: 25
Location: Oxford
Occupation: Civil Servant - Operations Lead for Department of Transport
Who is their type on paper? 'I tend to date someone who is taller than me, even though my last long-term partner, he was actually someone who was shorter than me.
'I'm quite an intellectual person so I want someone who can kind of match that.'
Aaron Francis, 24
Name: Aaron Francis
Age: 24
Location: London
Occupation: Luxury Events Host
Who is their type on paper? 'I need someone that is passionate about what they are doing - from scientist to anything - you can tell when someone is speaking about something and they are actually smiling while they are talking. I love that.
'I don't like when people are doing a job just to make money and then they kind of just live for the weekend. Especially because I work on the weekends.'
Liberty Poole, 21
Name: Liberty Poole
Age: 21
Location: Birmingham
Occupation: Nando's Waitress and Marketing Student
Who is their type on paper? 'So I like tall, alpha male, confident, a cheeky chappy sort of guy.
'But obviously that's always usually combined with player types, which is where I go wrong. So I am trying to change my ways and go for more of a nicer guy that is going to treat me right.'
Hugo Hammond, 24
Name: Hugo Hammond
Age: 24
Location: Hampshire
Occupation: PE Teacher
Who is their type on paper? 'I've been single for a while now. With the current climate, it's been really hard to get back into dating.
'I saw it as an opportunity to have an amazing fun summer and put myself back out there.'
Shannon Singh
Name: Shannon Singh
Age: 22
Location: Fife
Occupation: Glamour model
Who is their type on paper? 'I don't feed off looks, I feed off energy, I need someone with personality. Just someone I can have fun with.
'I'm a party girl, I love going out, I'm very social. For me it's quite hard to find people who are genuine and looking for what you're looking for'
Jake Cornish
Name: Jake Cornish
Age: 24
Location: Weston-super-Mare
Occupation: Water Engineer
Who is their type on paper? 'Looks wise, always gone for blondes. But for me, the main thing is having respect and having good fun, and someone who will be loyal to you...
'I've had messages from girls that have got boyfriends and husbands. This is why I don't trust anyone. Someone who is loyal really. But when I'm single, I like having a good time!
Kaz Kamwi
Name: Kaz Kamwi
Age: 26
Location: Essex
Occupation: Fashion Blogger
Who is their type on paper? 'I like meeting new people, I'm ready to be in a relationship. Why not be in a place where people are looking for the same things as me?'
Chloe Burrows
Name: Chloe Burrows
Age: 25
Location: Bicester
Occupation: Financial Services Marketing Executive
Who is their type on paper? 'I like a good build. I go to the gym. I want someone who is funny. Really funny and caring and will do nice little things for you.
'And then obviously someone who you can depend on to not ditch you. Because I am quite a big character and quite loud, they would have to be as loud, if not more.
'I could never be with someone who is quiet. Someone that gives you a bit back'
Faye Winter
Name: Faye Winter
Age: 26
Location: Devon
Occupation: Letting Manager
What is her type on paper? 'Someone that will put me in my place. Someone that makes me laugh. But also someone that takes my banter. I’m like a five-year-old in a playground, if I like you, I will make a mockery of you and laugh and joke. That is my really terrible flirting skills. I need someone who can take that.'
Brad McClelland
Name: Brad McClelland
Age: 26
Location: Northumberland
Occupation: Labourer
Who is their type on paper? Sommer Ray from Instagram. Zara McDermott, she's a good-looking lass. Or Megan Fox.
Toby Aromolaran
Name: Toby Aromolaran
Age: 22
Location: Essex
Occupation: Semi-pro footballer
How would he describe himself? 'Optimistic. I always see the bright side in the worst situations. I'm a fun guy when I go on a night out. Responsible guy as well.'
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