Love Island star undergoes surgery for rare pregnancy condition

Love Island bombshell Tink Reading has shared her ordeal of being rushed into emergency surgery for a rare pregnancy condition.

The 28-year-old first appeared on the 10th series of the reality dating show in 2023 when she made a splash as a Casa Amor bombshell embroiled in a love triangle with Montell Douglas and Leah Taylor.

Douglas shocked contestants when he decided to stay with Taylor and dump Reading, despite the two having been intimate together during his time away from the main villa. Sammy Root and Jess Harding eventually won the show with a shock victory.

On Tuesday (29 April), Reading revealed that she had found out she was experiencing a “molar pregnancy” in a post to her almost 30,000 followers on Instagram.

“When life gives you lemons… make lemonade,” began Reading alongside a carousel of images of her in and out of hospital.

“I don’t really know where to start when it comes to this post. I’ve been debating whether to say anything at all. Down to the fact of simple embarrassment, not wanting everyone to know my personal life business and the stigma that has evolved around these types of situations.

“However, if this post helps just one person going through a similar time, or even just the knowledge and awareness of what this is, well, then it’s worth it.”

She explained: “Last Wednesday morning, I found out that I was experiencing something called a ‘molar pregnancy’. I for one, had never heard of this before and every friend/family member i have spoken to since hadn’t either. this is because less than 1 per cent of pregnancies end up becoming a molar pregnancy. Less than 1 per cent!!!!!!”

The NHS explains that the condition is caused “when there's a problem with a fertilised egg, which means a baby and a placenta do not develop the way they should after conception”.

It adds: “A molar pregnancy will not be able to survive. It happens by chance and is rare.”

Reading went into detail about the medical advice she had been given, explaining that “a molar pregnancy, also known as a hydatidiform mole, is a type of gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) where tumours grow instead of a placenta”.

She continued: “If not removed, these cells can become cancerous. By Thursday morning, I had to be rushed in for emergency surgery to remove the ‘tumours’ as I was told it has to be treated sooner rather than later. I had less than 24 hours to process the information I had just been given, and prepare for the fact the only treatment available for this is to be put to sleep.”

Reading said that the surgery “went as planned” and “now it is just the waiting game”. The star said she is waiting for results from the tumours, which are now being investigated and a follow-up care plan is being developed.

“The start of what’s going to be a very long road,” she continued. “It’s safe to say, I wouldn’t have got through the past couple of weeks without the support of my loved ones.”