Love Island star on why a chronic lung condition won’t stop her NHS medic dream

Five years after starring on Love Island, Priya Gopaldas is now living a very different life. At 28, she juggles her time between a busy GP practice in Hertfordshire and 10-hour shifts in A&E. That would be enough to keep most people busy, but she is also an avid climber and an active lung health campaigner.

“It’s a lot, but I don’t want to give any of it up,” says Priya, who joined 37 other ‘islanders’ at season seven’s Love Island villa in Mallorca in 2021. “It seems like a long time ago,” she adds of her glamour-fueled stint on reality TV. For now Priya is concentrating on qualifying as an NHS doctor. As a sufferer of a chronic lung condition called bronchiectasis, which occurs when the airways in the lungs become damaged and widened, causing them to become clogged with mucus, she is also campaigning to raise awareness of lung health.

Common symptoms include coughing up phlegm, breathlessness, extreme tiredness and chest pain or tightness. People with the condition are more vulnerable to dangerous chest infections and flare-ups. Although it affects one in every 200 adults in the UK, bronchiectasis is not on most people’s radar. Because people with the condition need to clear their airways of phlegm and can cough a lot, it tends to be shrouded in secrecy.

“Yes, it can be embarrassing, but that’s no reason not to talk about it,” says Priya. “The fact that I have a chronic lung condition just makes me more determined to stay well and to raise awareness of breathing issues.”

According to Asthma + Lung UK, one in five people in the UK live with a lung condition, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis, and many feel invisible because their symptoms aren’t always obvious. A recent survey from the charity revealed that levels of care for people with lung conditions are appallingly low and diagnosis is slow.

Priya developed bronchiectasis in her teens after getting pneumonia, which caused permanent lung damage. Her family became very concerned as it was so difficult to get a diagnosis, and although she doesn’t let her condition hold her back, the memories of being a terrified 13-year-old, relying on oxygen to breathe, have stayed with her.

Protecting herself from a flare-up has become second nature to Priya and regular exercise and a balanced diet are her non-negotiables for keeping well. She also tries not to let stress impact her, even if she is the only doctor overseeing a busy ward.

“If I have an early hospital shift, I get up at 5am so that I can go for a run, and I plan what I’m going to eat so I’m never just grabbing a sugary snack from the hospital canteen. Instead, I pack eggs, nuts, yogurt, salad and protein bars – food that will help me to maintain my energy levels. For me it is simple. I can’t be a good doctor if I’m physically flagging and I can’t fulfil my dreams if my health flounders either.”

Her approach seems to be working. She hasn’t had a bronchiectasis exacerbation for several years, and when she got flu earlier this winter, she only needed one day off work – although she stresses that things could have been very different if she hadn’t had her flu jab. Her exercise regime is certainly impressive: two reformer Pilates classes a week, two to three runs, and three high intensity interval training (HIIT) classes.

“The key is to set yourself an achievable goal to start with, like three 20-minute walks a week and sticking to it,” says Priya, who is running the London Marathon on behalf of Asthma + Lung UK this year. “If you have a lung condition, it’s important to get checked by a healthcare professional before exercising. They can support you to make sure the activity level is right for you and allows your body to get moving more.”

Having competed in ultramarathons all over the world, Priya became obsessed with climbing after a “life-changing” trip to Nepal in 2023. So far, she has scaled Aconcagua, the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Kilimanjaro, Kazbek and Mera Peak. Her dream now is to tackle her first 8000 metres peak in the autumn, and to climb Everest next year.

“The mountains are so peaceful,” she says. “It’s like taking a break from the modern world.”

It’s easy to see how they might provide respite from the heady demands of emergency care. “I love my job, but this winter has been hard as it feels like we’ve seen more people than ever, in hospital, after becoming seriously ill with flu or pneumonia,” admits Priya. “Young, fit patients have ended up on the wards with life-threatening breathing difficulties.

« People have been very ill with flu and other viruses, and this has put emergency services under intense pressure. It’s so important that people get vaccinated.”

Her message is particularly relevant for people with existing lung conditions, as research reveals they are seven more times likely to die from flu. Breathing issues are now the leading cause of all emergency hospital admissions in this country, and lung health experts are calling on the government to introduce a respiratory action plan, otherwise known as a ‘modern service framework’ (MSF) to improve basic care for people with lung conditions.

To join the campaign, you can sign a petition on the Asthma + Lung UK website.

“A plan like this would definitely help to reduce the pressure on the NHS during the winter,” says Priya. “But if we are serious about improving the country’s lung health, we need tough action on smoking and vaping and a bold vision for tackling air pollution too.”

Living in central London, Priya says the air quality in her neighbourhood is so poor that it makes it difficult for her to exercise outdoors. Not surprisingly, once she fully qualifies as a doctor, Priya will be leaving polluted city life behind her.

“I’m planning to do a masters in mountain medicine,” she says. “I can’t wait for the challenge of working in such extreme environments, and living on my wits, and very limited resources. I’ve always loved the outdoors and the thought of only having the most basic possessions and not being able to shower for three weeks doesn’t bother me one bit.”

It’s a far cry from the glitz and glamour of the Love Island villa – but it looks like Priya will be climbing high on her own terms.

• Priya Gopaldas is looking for a sponsor for her Everest climb in April 2027. To express an interest, email info@wwtalentandpr.com