Love Island star Shaughna Phillips tests positive for HPV 

Shaughna Phillips told followers that she was HPV positive after receiving the results of a smear test over the weekend.

Former Love Island contestant Shaughna Phillips has revealed that she has tested positive for HPV and is encouraging her followers to book their smear tests.

Earlier this month, the 28-year-old shared that she was due to have her smear test and issued a reminder to her followers to make sure they do the same.

On Sunday evening, she tweeted to say that she had tested positive for HPV after receiving her results over the weekend and will require further examinations. 

The Love Island star admitted that she was “scared” but said she was thankful for the screening.

“Had my results back yesterday, I tested positive for HPV and have had borderline changes to some cells that require further examination. I’m scared but that’s okay. Thank god for screening.

“Ladies, book your smears,” she added.

Taking to Instagram, Shaughna, who appeared on Love Island in 2020, said she was “absolutely terrified” when she first received the results.

“Although everyone I’ve spoke to has reassured me how common this is, it is still scary,” she told her 1.5 million followers.

“There’s certain language that I didn’t realise I still have a hard time hearing, ‘biopsy, any word ending with ‘oscopy’ and of course, ‘cancer’ are all associated with trauma for me, so reading them in a letter addressed to me really knocked me.” 

Shaughna previously had a breast cancer scare after finding a lump just months after her father passed away from pancreatic cancer in 2016.

Muireann O'Connell recently shared that she is now HPV free after testing positive last year. Picture: Brian McEvoy

Last week, Ireland AM presenter Muireann O’Connell also urged her followers to ensure they go for their smear tests as she shared that she has recovered from HPV.

She opened up about testing positive last year and updated her followers after she was tested again recently.

“HPV free! Yahoo! Weight off, for a while anyway. If you’re due your smear, please make that appointment," she said.

According to the HSE, HPV causes 406 cancers in both men and women each year in Ireland with over 300 women being diagnosed with cervical cancer.