Laura Anderson is reportedly moving to Dubai for good after being relentlessly trolled online since she travelled to the UAE in the middle of the pandemic.
The former Love Island star, 31, is said to have ‘felt lonely’ since she returned to the UK and has always seen Dubai as her home.
A source told The Sun: ‘Laura has decided it’s time to move back to Dubai for good. She’s had a hard time during lockdown and has felt a bit lonely being away from her friends and sister.
Change: Laura Anderson is reportedly moving to Dubai for good after being relentlessly trolled online since she travelled to the UAE in the middle of the pandemic
‘She’s always seen Dubai as her home really. She is planning to take her dog with her and wants to go as soon as possible.
‘Laura has struggled with being trolled while in the UK and received a lot of backlash when she went on holiday to Dubai during the pandemic.’
The insider added that Laura wants to put the recent criticism ‘behind her’ and start afresh in Dubai and has some business ideas up her sleeve.
MailOnline has contacted representatives for Laura Anderson for comment.
Moving: The former Love Island star, 31, is said to have ‘felt lonely’ since she returned to the UK and has always seen Dubai as her home
Last month, Laura broke down in tears after admitting she has lost work due to the backlash she faced following her pre-lockdown trip.
The star couldn’t hide her emotions in an interview where she confessed the controversy surrounding her trip to Dubai was the ‘hardest thing she’s ever had to deal with’.
Laura was among a slew of reality stars and influencers who were criticised by fans and Home Secretary Priti Patel for travelling to Dubai ahead of December’s COVID lockdown, as they declared their flights as being ‘business trips’.
Speaking on Nicki Chapman’s Talking Success as reported by The Sun, Laura tearfully confessed she struggled to cope with the trolling she faced for flying to the United Arab Emirates while the UK still had a travel corridor with the country.
A source said: ‘Laura has decided it’s time to move back to Dubai for good. She’s had a hard time during lockdown and has felt a bit lonely being away from her friends and sister’
She said: ‘This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. It was so hard to stick up for myself. I understand the whole pandemic, I am not a silly little girl.
‘It is really hard and it still going on now. It was a really hard decision to go over. I’ve lost followers, I’ve lost jobs. It has made me reconsider my future in this industry.’
Laura clarified that while she posted many of her Instagram snaps once England had entered lockdown in January, she legally flew to Dubai while the UAE had an air brief with the UK.
The star insisted she returned home before the government introduced a ban on international travel.
Tough: Laura confessed the controversy surrounding her trip was the ‘hardest thing she’s ever had to deal with’ (Pictured on Love Island in 2018)
Regardless she was one of many stars claiming their trips were for business reasons and thus did not break coronavirus rules.
Laura was forced to turn off comments on her Instagram posts after being trolled relentlessly for her break, which she insisted was to stay with her sister as she couldn’t bear spending another lockdown alone in Scotland.
The star said she’s planning on a permanent move to Dubai to launch a business, but didn’t want to share her plans while she was abroad.
Laura was among many influencers who faced furious online backlash for flying abroad at the height of Covid travel restrictions under the ruse of it being a ‘business trip.’
Ahead of the lockdown, government guidelines stated travel abroad may only be allowed for ‘essential work reasons.’
Clarifying: The star insisted she travelled to the United Arab Emirates when travel was allowed, and admitted the trolling she’s faced has made her question whether to change careers
Laura shared her thoughts on the backlash during an Instagram Q&A, after being asked whether she felt guilty about being in Dubai.
She said: ‘I felt guilty the whole time. I don’t think anyone realised how bad the strain would get, and how quickly. So hearing people upset, I felt horrific.’
In a caption on the post she added: ‘The backlash was horrendous and still is. I don’t expect anyone to understand my situation.
‘I apologise to everyone I’ve upset, I truly mean that as it was never my intention.’
Laura was previously forced to delete some of the comments on her sun-soaked bikini snaps after receiving backlash for sharing her exploits.
I felt guilty! It comes after Laura said she ‘felt guilty the whole time’ she was away in Dubai after claiming she’d flown to the UAE for a ‘business trip’