I've been working at HELLO! for over two years, and what a drama-filled 24 months it's been in the world of celebs.
There were the This Morning and (ongoing) Strictly scandals, there was Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's court case. There was all the hoo-ha about Harry Styles spitting on Chris Pine during the Don't Worry Darling press tour.
But despite all these gossip-worthy events, nothing set the office alight quite like the news that Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury have split.
© GettyI wish I was joking when I say shockwaves went around the team when we heard the news, and no sooner had we all shared just how blindsided we were, the memes began rolling in.
People online compared the split to Charles and Diana, and while that was of course tongue in cheek, there was a feeling of hysteria surrounding their split. Even this morning, hours after the news broke, the office was still abuzz with chatter about what Tommy's done and how much we hope Molly-Mae finds someone who will cherish her as she deserves.
Messages were flooding into all of my group chats about the Love Island pair, and it made me wonder, why do we all care quite so much about Molly and Tommy's breakup?
Celebrity breakup announcements are an almost daily occurrence – Maya Jama and Stormzy's split a few weeks back, for example, caused a collective sadness among fans of the duo, but their joint statement was so pally, there was nothing more to say.
Why do we care about Molly-Mae and Tommy so much?
Molly Mae's statement was more cryptic, hinting at wrongdoing, causing more interest than an amicable split.
© Getty Images"Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this," she began. "After five years of being together I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way," Molly wrote, causing speculation about what Tommy has done.
But it can't just be our morbid interest in a potential cheat that has us hooked. I asked relationship expert Dr. Tara for her take on why we're all so invested in Molly-Mae and Tommy's breakup, and she had some interesting insight.
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"There are many reasons why the public is so invested in Molly and Tommy's relationship," Dr. Tara says. "Firstly, they initiated and developed their relationship in the public eye, therefore the viewers have built what is called a 'parasocial relationship' with them.
"This happens when viewers develop a bond with a person or couple they see regularly on TV. So, for the public, it feels like a friend they care about is going through a breakup."
© InstagramMolly-Mae on her own also feels like a friend to so many people, who beam her vlogs into their homes, keeping up with what the influencer does in her daily life.
We're so used to Molly sharing her day-to-day, that we're heartbroken for her. "Molly is adored by the British public as one of the most popular role models for Gen Z, so it makes sense that the public feels so invested about her relationship and wellbeing," Dr. Tara confirms.
READ: The Love Island couples who are still together after meeting in the villa
A public love
The fact that Tommy and Molly have had such a romantic relationship has played into why we're all cut up about the split. We've seen him lavish her with gifts, plan an epic proposal and buy her huge bunches of flowers, just because.
They proved that true love does exist – and can blossom on a reality TV show. "While breakups are on the rise, most people still believe in true love," confirms Dr. Tara, who explains that statistics show around 70% of people believe in true love, meaning this plays a big factor in the public's emotional response to their breakup.
We thought Tommy and Molly were forever, and it's sad to think he's hurt her.
BACP-accredited psychotherapist Katerina Georgiou, agrees that our love of love is the reason we're so saddened by Molly's heartbreak. "Rightly or wrongly, we live in a culture that celebrates romantic love and partnership," she says.
"When we see love happen in real time on our screens, it affects us much in the same way as it would if watching protagonists getting together at the end of a film: we want to see them ultimately together, and we want a happy ever after. The happy ever after narrative is embedded within our cultural norms, and within the arc of storytelling. When watching reality TV, we suspend our disbelief around the reality that people break up – it’s a TV show, so we want the fairytale ending."
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Molly-Mae said in her statement that she's taking time off, and we can only hope that her break, from work and being in the public eye, will help her heal.
