Two months ago Directioners around the world were left devastated after boy band member Zayn Malik dramatically quit the group.
Following months of reports that the band was in trouble, the turning point came after Zayn was pictured with blonde fan Lauren Richardson in Thailand.
The ‘cosy’ snap sparked an avalanche of rumours that Zayn, 22, had cheated on Little Mix girlfriend Perrie Edwards.
But Lauren has insisted that ‘nothing happened’ between her and heartthrob Zayn.
Ahead of her Love Island debut, Lauren explains: “I just thought they are in touching distance so I just went over. I said, ‘Can I have a picture?’ And he said, ‘No problem.’
"In my caption I said, ‘Partying with 1D’. It was an innocent picture. That’s the crazy thing.
"People think more went on. That’s going to be the funniest thing about it when they go, ‘Don’t we look stupid now we’ve blown it out of context’.”
Lauren continued, telling the Mirror that she received terrifying death threats from furious fans after she hit the headlines.
“It got bad. There were death threats, people saying I’m a homewrecker, or writing, ‘I want to find you.’
"There was a lot of hate. I was scared. You think, ‘Are they going to find me?’”
Rather than fade into obscurity, Lauren has chosen to appear on Love Island, which starts this Sunday at 9pm on ITV2.
(Images: ITV/Instagram)