Ex On The Beach’s ZaraLena Jackson reveals Aaron Chalmers saved her from ‘bullies’ Zahida Allen and Joshua Ritchie
She’s been tarnished as the ‘most boring’ contestant on the MTV show but in her only interview, ZaraLena sets the record straight on what it was really like to live in the controversial villa
EX On The Beach star ZaraLena Jackson has hit back at her fellow contestants who’ve labelled her as ‘boring’ and ‘frigid’ since leaving the show.
In her only interview ZaraLena claims she was picked on by Geordie Shore star Zahida Allen and Joshua Ritchie and admits she was left feeling as though she was living in “hell”.
Since leaving the villa ZaraLena hasn’t spoken about her experience on the hit TV show and, while she’s speaks highly of MTV, some of fellow cast mates did not leave her with such a good impression.
ZaraLena says: “I felt like an outcast from the villa, I never felt like I clicked with anyone or fitted it.
“It all felt incredibly isolating. When I was going into the villa my biggest concern was the public and their opinion of me but the biggest issue, and the most difficult thing, has been the cast members who were in the villa with me.
“Literally the lack of sleep, the arguments, the constant confrontation…I don’t want to upset anyone but I think this disadvantaged me on the show.”
In the first episode of the show, ZaraLena spurned Joshua’s attempt at romance and recently he labelled her as “boring” – something the 24-year-old refutes.
ZaraLena adds: “I’m not a nasty person, I don’t want to make anyone struggle but some of the people in in the villa have made it hell for me – tarnishing me by calling me boring.
“Some of the people in the villa put pressure on me because I didn’t want to have sex on TV – it was very, very difficult.
“I can understand why Josh called me boring – he got pied. I can see why he has a chip on his shoulder.
“I was a bitch to him but I know my own mind and wouldn’t do anything I didn’t think I should.
“Josh is a walking contradiction, one minute he’s being nice to me and the next he’s being a massive d**k.”
ZaraLena also claims she was targeted by Zahida during filming but admits her former flame, Geordie Shore star Aaron Chalmers, came to her rescue.
She says: “Aaron is lovely and he is the reason why I stayed in the villa for as long as I did. He stuck up for me and even called out the others for being bullies.
“He aimed that at Zahida and Josh really, it got me in s**t but it didn’t matter.”
There wasn't always bad blood between ZaraLena and Zahida however, as the dress-maker admits the pair were good friends when the show started.
She adds: “We were the closest people until problems started to arise.
“I haven’t got a bad word to say about her because she knows what she wants and she does it well.
“She had sex on the first night and she handled it well, it made for good TV.
“My views are very different compared to the others girls that were in there.
“Not to shine an negative light on them – I just mean I handle situations far differently than they did in the villa.”
Although she was brave enough to take part on Ex On The Beach, ZaraLena admits she didn’t think it would be so extreme.
She explains: “I wasn't expecting the show to be half as difficult as it was. People watch the half hour of TV and assume it’s just how you see it.
“I know I’m difficult to live with, I’m very OCD, I’m very anal about my bedtime – I am sensible.
“It was so difficult to live in such a party house. I’ve lived on my own since I was 17 and I have been independent from such a young age.
“So, going into a villa where no one wanted to sleep and they wanted to play eye spy at four o-clock in the morning – and then you get woken up at 7am every day – was so draining.”
Now she’s left the show, ZaraLena hopes she can overcome her “boring” label and admits she’d love to take part in the next series of Big Brother.
She says: “You can act more naturally and it feels more natural on that show.
“I don’t know I’d be entertaining enough because I’ve been called boring already but I think I’m pretty funny and I hope that other people will see that too.”
Ex On The Beach airs on Tuesday nights at 10pm, only on MTV.
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