A Blackburn woman, who appeared on Love Island this year, has opened up about the reality of growing up with a famous dad, as well as concerns she has about her body image.

Claudia Fogarty appeared on the Learning As I Go podcast, where she had a candid talk with host Scott Thomas.

The 28-year-old was asked what it was like to be part of a famous family and in particular what it was like growing up with World Superbike champion Carl Fogarty as a father.

She said it was “amazing” to travel but says she did not get to spend much time with her dad while he was working away.

She said: “Growing up it was an amazing experience. We got to travel to so many places and meet so many people.

“I am so lucky that I have such a close family.

“Growing up it was hard being the youngest because dad was away a lot. We didn’t spend much time with him when we were younger.

“I think that’s why we are so close now because [my parents] were away all the time when we were younger and dad was always busy.”

Watch the full episode of the Learning As I Go episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube. 

Claudia also discussed the crash in 2000 that ended his career and said her mum, Michaela, thought the crash killed him.

She said: “On his last race dad came off his bike and mum thought he died.

“He was in hospital for weeks and that’s when mum said ‘you just can’t do this anymore, as much as you love it and love the thrill’.

“I think that’s when it clicked for him and he had to retire young.

“I think he struggled with that as he’s such a thrill-seeker, he loved adrenaline and winning things.

“He had to quit something he was so passionate about and found it really hard.

“Then he had his race team and he’s busy doing things with Ducati now.”

Claudia said Carl, who has been open about his mental health struggles in the past, has since struggled with his mental health adding that it is something he is working on.

She said: “My dad suffers with mental health issues and I think that’s because in his head he does live in the past quite a lot.

“He loved the racing and the thrill of everything. It’s like he misses it in a way.

“He’s not a big social person and will get anxiety about being in a big group of people.”

Claudia said her dad struggled to watch her on the ITV2 dating show as he did not like to see her upset.

She said: “Even me being away [on Love Island] he had massive anxiety about me not being around.

“He said ‘I actually have really missed you. I am really proud of you but I couldn’t watch it… when you were crying I didn’t know what to do with myself’.

“It’s been hard for him but he has been getting help.”

Claudia also spoke candidly about her struggles with body image which led her to lose around three stone.

She said: “I was the funny one, the one everyone laughed at, the personality but I was like ‘I don’t just want the personality – I want the looks as well.

“It isn’t all about how you looked but with [my sister] Danielle she just had that supermodel look without having to try.

“Nobody is inside your brain and knows what battles you are going through.

“Even inside the Love Island villa people were asking me why I don’t back myself.

“It’s something I have never been able to do. You look at yourself in the mirror and it’s not what everybody else sees.

“It’s a constant battle and you have to learn to be happy with yourself, which is hard.

“I have learned to love myself but I don’t know if I will ever be 100 per cent happy.”