ITV Love Islands Jess Harding shares devastating family loss

Jess Harding has described her grandad as her 'soldier' in a touching post to Instagram, as she shared that he has sadly passed away at the age of 87.

The Love Island star, who won the most recent series alongside ex-boyfriend Sammy Root, posted to her 818K followers with a monochrome snap which showed her beaming while cuddling her late grandad.

She wrote: "My Soldier, My Grenadier Guard, My Grandad. 87 years on this world, you’re the most amazing and precious man ever! I love you forever and always! Grandads Girl. God bless."

Jess also included a picture of her holding onto his hand as she wrote on her Stories: "Rest peacefully my man".

The aesthetic beauty therapist rose to fame earlier this year while appearing on ITV2's Love Island, entering the villa on day one and making it all the way to the final as she took the crown with boyfriend Sammy.

However, the pair struggled to make things work on the outside world and ended their relationship two months later. Speaking with OK! last month, Jess, who owns London-based aesthetics clinic Candy Aesthetics, admitted that she 'doesn't have time' to be dating again since the split.

Explaining that she is focusing on her business, she said: "Crazy! But positive. I think, I'm just focusing on myself and my work at the moment. That's the main thing," the 23 year told us. "So I'm getting a new shop with my business. Obviously, I've launched my new training academy.

"I don't even have time to get my lashes done, let alone see a boy." Jess announced her split from Sammy via social media in October, with the latter then coming up with a statement saying that her post was a 'total shock'.

He wrote: "Hi guys, I thought I would come online to address today's news about me and Jess. Yes we had a private conversation regarding our relationship but this was left up in the air as Jess is still away and we haven't had a chance to speak in person. For me to then see today via the media that we had officially broken up came as a total shock.”

Sammy then continued: “To be totally clear – I at least wanted a face to face conversation to see if our relationship could be saved and felt this would be the respectful way forward. We had the most incredible experience winning Love Island and I genuinely saw a future with Jess.”

He then concluded his post by writing: “I was committed and respectful to our relationship. Unfortunately things don't always work out the way you'd hoped. Despite how this has all played out today. I think Jess is an amazing woman and genuinely wish her all the best.”

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