'Our hearts are broken': Love Island star Sophie Gradon's parents speak for the first time since the sudden death of their 'precious daughter' aged 32
- The reality personality, who appeared in the 2016 second series of the ITV2 dating show, was found dead in Ponteland, Northumberland, last Wednesday
- Colin and Deborah Gradon, said: 'It has been one week since we lost our precious daughter and we as a family are still coming to terms with the loss'
Love Island star Sophie Gradon's parents have spoken out for the first time since her tragic death aged 32, as they admitted their 'hearts are broken'.
The reality personality, who appeared in the second series of the ITV2 dating show in 2016, was found dead in Ponteland, Northumberland, last Wednesday.
Her parents, Colin and Deborah Gradon, said in a statement to the Press Association: 'It has been one week since we lost our precious daughter and we as a family are still coming to terms with our sudden loss. Our hearts are broken.
'Heartbroken': Heartbreaking: Love Island star Sophie Gradon's parents Colin (pictured in June 2015) and Deborah have said their 'hearts are broken' following her death aged 32
'We wish to say our goodbyes to Sophie in private so we ask that you respect our family's privacy during this arduous time.'
Sophie passed away last week, in what has since been reported as a suicide, after she frequently posted about her battles with anxiety and depression.
At the time, a spokesperson from Northumbria Police told MailOnline: 'At about 8.27pm yesterday police attended a property in Medburn, Ponteland, where sadly a 32-year-old woman was found deceased.
'There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. A report will now be prepared for the coroner.'
Way back when: Her parents said in a statement to the Press Association: 'It has been one week since we lost our precious daughter and we as a family are still coming to terms with our sudden loss. Our hearts are broken' (Sophie, pictured in March with Deborah)
Tragic: The reality star, who appeared in the 2016 series of the ITV2 dating show, was found dead in Ponteland, Northumberland, last Wednesday
Friends of Sophie have since revealed that she was suffering from depression and anxiety, which had been worsened in recent weeks by financial issues.
Numerous celebrities and friends have since paid tribute to the former beauty queen on social media, including her Love Island co-stars Olivia Buckland, Kady McDermott, Emma-Jane Woodhams and Malin Andersson.
Love Island host Caroline Flack tweeted that Gradon was 'such a beautiful soul... such a beautiful smile... thoughts and love with friends and family @sophiegradon.'
Doting message: Love Island host Caroline Flack tweeted that Gradon was 'such a beautiful soul... such a beautiful smile... thoughts and love with friends and family @sophiegradon'
Devastating: Tributes poured in from her former Love Island co-stars, with one half of that year's winning couple, Cara de la Hoyde, writing on Twitter that her 'heart was broken'
Bosses at ITV said in a statement: 'The whole ITV2 and Love Island team are profoundly saddened to hear the news about Sophie, and our deepest sympathies and thoughts go to her family and friends.'
In March, Sophie spoke at a cyber-bullying conference where she admitted: 'Trolls leave you feeling vulnerable, unsafe and upset', as she spoke alongside her co-star Zara Holland while calling for action against trolls.
At the event, she said: 'No one anticipated the show's success and in an instant I was catapulted from every day life into the limelight. We became public property overnight and everyone had an opinion both good and bad.
Devastating: TV psychologist Emma Kenny wrote last week: 'Worked at an anti-bullying conference with Sophie a few months back. She was an utterly lovely woman who had her life turned upside down due to trolls'
'On leaving the show I descended into quite a dark dark place owing to the amount of negativity focused towards me. There were positives and some lovely people but I would always let the negatives outweigh the positives.
'I started to believe what these people were saying about me was true. Online bullying is as destructive as face-to-face bullying, sometimes worse. Trolls leave you feeling vulnerable, unsafe and upset.'
TV psychologist Emma Kenny wrote last week: 'Worked at an anti-bullying conference with Sophie a few months back. She was an utterly lovely woman who had her life turned upside down due to trolls.'
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