Virgin Island contestant is still a virgin at 31 and jobless

Virgin Island contestant Ben Harris has opened up about life since filming the hugely popular Channel Four show.

The 31-year-old was joined by 11 other adult virgins on an island close to Croatia, where sex surrogates and sexological therapists were there to provide a hand in both an emotional and physical sense.

Virgin Island has been met with plenty of controversy, especially after one particularly 'uncomfortable' moment between a contestant and a sex surrogate; however, the show also promotes a positive message of overcoming body confidence issues and educating them about both their bodies and those of their prospective future partners.

While many were shocked to see the contestants getting their kit off in the show, one man who was a little warier was Ben, as he only opted to go topless.

Before appearing on the show, he'd had two ex-girlfriends and had been on over 40 dates - yes, he has a spreadsheet.

Although he was able to make lots of progress in the show, he didn't quite achieve as much as some other contestants and returned to the UK still a virgin, albeit with a new-found confidence which gave him hope for the future.

If you've watched the show, you'll know how wholesome Ben Harris is (Channel 4)

However, he has now told The Times of how he lost his 'dream job' working in parliament not long after returning home from filming last year.

He wrote: "Now, a year after filming, my virginity has been broadcast to millions of people across the country. Not only is being a virgin very much a public part of my identity, to many it is probably the only thing they know about me."

However, while he may still be a virgin, he says he 'no longer considers it a source of humiliation or embarrassment'.

Ben said his work as an MP was something he was 'immensely proud of', adding: "It formed the core of my identity."

However, his hope of a 'strong and stable professional career' was dashed when he lost his job working for Michael Fabricant in the wake of last year's general election which saw Labour and Keir Starmer earn a landslide victory in the UK.

He added: "As soon as that election was called, I mentally put my intimacy journey on hold. After all, the only reason I had been able to feel confident and comfortable enough to take such a bold step of self-improvement in the first place was because I felt confident and secure in my professional life.

It was still a valuable and enjoyable experience for Ben (Channel Four)

"Unfortunately, my worst fears were realised and in the early hours of July 5, my boss lost his seat, and I therefore lost my dream job.

"My shining source of pride, and the positive counterweight to my intimacy and self-image negativity, had been shattered into dust. Without a shadow of doubt this was the worst moment of my life."

He did manage to find some work in public affairs for a charity, however, he said it became 'rather unpleasant' so he resigned, before taking on some temporary work for his old boss, Fabricant.

Although he finds himself in an arguably worse position than he did a year ago, his mental state and mindset towards sex and relationship has drastically improved, particularly how he processes rejection, which was something he'd struggled with previously on the show.

He concluded: "I suppose it just goes to show how fragile, complex and messy life can be. While I may have lost my dream job and my future career remains uncertain, the lessons I learnt on Virgin Island have stayed with me, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world."

Virgin Island is available to stream on Channel 4 now.