Holly Stark, a star from the Channel 4 reality series Virgin Island, has announced that she is expecting her first child. The television personality shared the joyful news on Instagram, posting a photograph of her baby scan alongside a baby grow, captioned: 'Baby Grant. Due August 2026.'
From Reality TV to Motherhood
Holly first appeared on Virgin Island just 11 months ago as one of the initial contestants. Since then, she has found her happy ending, as she revealed her pregnancy. The mother-to-be is expecting the child with her boyfriend, David, whom she made Instagram official with in December, sharing a snapshot of the couple enjoying the Edinburgh Christmas markets together.
On Wednesday, Holly showcased her growing baby bump at the series two premiere of Virgin Island. She looked stunning in a fitted white dress as she posed on the red carpet alongside friends. Fans quickly flooded her social media with congratulatory messages, writing: 'Congratulations, you're going to be a great mum! x'; 'Congratulations to you both xx'; and 'Wow, this is amazing! Congratulations, sweetie!'
About Virgin Island
Virgin Island is a reality series that follows 12 adult virgins as they undergo two weeks of intimacy therapy at a Mediterranean retreat. With guidance from sex education experts and 'sex surrogates', participants learn to overcome their fears surrounding intimacy. The show aims to boost confidence by addressing fears and underlying body image issues, enabling contestants to bring that newfound confidence into the bedroom.
The six-part Channel 4 programme was streamed an impressive nine million times online after its initial airing in May of last year. It became the channel's most successful new unscripted series launch among viewers aged 16 to 34.
Reactions and Controversy
TV boss Jonah Weston commented on the show's success, stating: 'It's been such a thrill to watch this show catch fire. This is a live issue among young people, and from the brave cast to our wonderful experts I don't think I've ever worked on anything quite so bold, warm and well-intentioned. Watch out for season 2 which will be bigger and bolder than ever!'
Dave, who lost his virginity on the island to surrogate partner Kat, has encouraged others to apply for the series. He said: 'I had an amazing time on the Island, and I'm truly thankful for the time I spent there. Anyone who has watched the show will have seen how much my confidence grew over the course of the series, and I can't speak highly enough of the experts and production team for making us feel so safe and secure. I was lucky enough to achieve the ultimate aim of the series whilst on the Island, and I can't wait to see the next group of participants go on the same journey – I would wholly encourage anyone with enough courage and resilience to apply, it's completely changed my life.'
Despite its popularity, the record-breaking show has faced controversy, drawing numerous complaints from viewers uncomfortable with the intimate scenes between surrogates and contributors being broadcast so openly.
