London leavers: why a former Love Island contestant swapped Chelsea glamour for cosy Canterbury

ans of Love Island will recognise Charlie Brake because the present’s 2018 runner-up, whose USP was his rich household and jet-set life-style.

A few years in the past he was the epitome of the prosperous Chelsea boy — he had a two-bedroom flat in Redcliffe Gardens, an Instagram feed filled with quick automobiles and personal jets and a really hectic life-style.

At this time Charlie, now 26, is an older and wiser model of his actuality TV self.

He swapped central London for Kent the yr earlier than the pandemic, obtained himself a job and is totally having fun with a slower tempo of life.

“After Love Island I spent an enormous period of time continuously out, socialising and travelling,” he mentioned. “It was nice at first, however the novelty wears off. I believe I had simply had sufficient. It was time to shut the chapter on that e book and I’m positively a lot happier now.”

Charlie now rents a two-bedroom trendy house in Canterbury, near his mom’s residence close to Ashford, and is planning to purchase himself a home within the space this yr.

Throughout lockdown he and a enterprise accomplice arrange their very own firm to promote Naughty Water — carbonated water infused with flavoured vodka — and are trying ahead to seeing the way it goes down now bars and pubs are reopening.

“I wish to be recognized for one thing aside from being that Love Island man,” he mentioned.

Whereas Charlie agrees that Canterbury can’t evaluate to the excitement and vitality of the capital — “I nonetheless assume London is the best metropolis on this planet” — he’s joyful to spend his downtime figuring out on the fitness center, taking part in golf and catching up with old fashioned pals.

“From Canterbury to St Pancras is 40 minutes on the practice, so I believe that I’ve obtained the most effective of each worlds,” he mentioned. “I went to highschool in Kent so I nonetheless have pals round right here and household, too.

“I need the nation home and pubs, that type of vibe. I simply discovered London to be so busy and loud. Out right here you possibly can take a breath and I believe I’ve simply began to understand what is admittedly necessary in life.”

Whereas Charlie doesn’t remorse quitting London for a second, there may be nonetheless no less than one problem forward.

“I’m very, very single,” he mentioned. “It’s onerous to this point in lockdown however now that it’s stress-free, I’m trying ahead to getting on the market once more.”