I had the pleasure of spending an hour speaking to MAFS fashion icon Leah Tyrer and she’s just how I’d imagined her to be – full of banter, easy to talk to but unfortunately with a lot less flirting. We didn’t often get to see the fun side of her on the show because she was coupled with perhaps the most miserable woman in the UK. And yes, our assumptions were right, according to Leah, Ghast-Leigh is just as miserable in person as she comes across on screen.

There are no airs and graces with Leah. What you see is what you get, she’s a typical chatty Scouser with a big personality and even bigger sleeves. Although she spoke about Leigh in less than favourable terms, I get the feeling there was still much left unsaid out of respect. Not respect for Leigh, respect for herself. I could sense she was towing the fine line between laying it bare and keeping it classy, which is something she doesn’t think can be said of her former wife.

As promised, I put as many of your questions to Leah as possible and I’ve even gone to the trouble of crediting you, so be sure to check if your question made it! Here goes:

How did you feel about the commentary I gave on your relationship with Leigh?

I thought it was quite spot on to be honest with you. There were some things that the viewers don’t see but I don’t cry a bad edit because most people have had a fairer edit than you see.

They did make the Leisha scene look worse than it was, but you play into the producers’ hands sometimes. You’re out on a night out, you’re pissed. They made it look like I’m some kind of predator getting those date cards out. Even the way she read it out made it look very funny. The last person I’d ever fancy is Leisha. What you don t see is what leigh did to me during the experiment. She’d ask me if Bex would be more my usual type then straight away throw me under the bus. The one thing I am not is a cheat.

 What did you take it to mean Leigh said she preferred more masc women?

Someone who wears more masculine clothes, short, shaved hair maybe. She was like, “I know you’re pretty, but I usually date really masculine girls but really PRETTY but more masc”. And I’m thinking, I’m coming out of here with zero confidence from this bitch. I saw her ex and I was like cheeky bitch making me feel so bad about myself I’d rather be me!

What happened to the massage candle?

Leigh took the candle home. We were butting heads before homestays, I didn’t know where it was going, we weren’t in a good place towards the end. I came home and she’d moved into another apartment and took the toys and massage candle with her and I’m thinking – I hope you use it with someone else.

What went down with Grace and Ash?

It’s a weird one with them two. I couldn’t understand who was right and who was wrong. Ash is typical old-fashioned gent who wants to do all the things for the woman. On Grace’s side, he did say a few things that were out of line. That was the one relationship I steered well clear of. I tried to keep it at arm’s length and didn’t get involved.

Was Leigh as miserable as she came across?

 She had a lot fairer edit than she deserved. The reason she mentioned a stick up her arse at that dinner party was because Paul had said that to her on the couch, but it wasn’t shown.  I’ve got no respect for the girl anymore. She was very much involved in everyone else’s business but not her own.

What do you think you’ve learned about yourself?

I’ve learned patience, how to sit in discomfort. I struggled with leigh because she always wanted to argue with me and go to bed on an argument, she’d go to bed and turn over. I’d ask to sort it out and she’d say her boundaries aren’t ready to. I Got assessed after the show, because I really struggled and was overwhelmed a lot. I found out that I have autism and ADHD. You mask it as a woman. Finding out at 36, that all through my childhood and adulthood I’d been masking this thing. It feels liberating.

Did you plan on becoming a fashion icon?

I’m not the kind of person who usually gets dressed up, especially on a day to day. All I have in my make up bag is bronzer, mascara.  I had like two hairstyles the whole show, but I do love my clothes. I just had a lot of dresses made by a Liverpool dressmaker; I drew my two-piece wedding outfit myself. Casual clothes are more my vibe, like the kind of stuff I wore to the commitment ceremonies. But everyone dresses up for the dinner parties, so I had to make an effort. I’ve always had a different dress sense though.

What do you plan to do now?

Once you’ve done a TV show you’re gonna be in the public eye, that bit doesn’t bother me and it’s been nice strangers coming up and being so kind. But I have my own businesses from before the show. I have a Supplement business selling capsules called In Your Prime. I’ve spent so much time on them, they’re in glass frosted bottles, they’re vegan, gluten free, only two ingredients per capsule, I’ve put all my savings into it. It’s stuff I believe in, I take them and I’ve taken them for over a year, so I know they work. The main thing post show is to be working on the stuff I’m already doing like the supplements and my consultancy business.

Juliet Ann: Were you getting a kick out of feeding Leisha strawberries and telling Leigh about it?

No, Leigh and I spoke off camera a couple of times and Leigh would tell me “Let’s have a laugh about Leisha” and then on camera she’d twist it, she was always blindsiding me.

Kate Davis: What exactly is half a hog?

*laughs* I can’t answer that! We didn’t have proper sex. I don’t even know why I said it like that.

Christopher Anthony James: What went through your head when you were asked to leave the honeymoon suite?

I was fuming because I’d walked up three flights with my suitcase, there was no lift. I was so tired, it was like 4am. My whole thing was, if she didn’t wanna stay in the bed with me why not tell me three flights of stairs ago? Why have you waited for me to get upstairs?

Anastasia Jones: What wasn’t aired on the show that you wish was?

More personality from certain people, from me especially. I’m very light-hearted, always taking the piss having a joke. And it was always, “how do you feel about this couple? How do you feel about that couple?” I don’t give a shit about that couple.

Emma-Stennett-Hinds: What did you see in Leigh that made you write Stay each week?

I think because she wasn’t being honest, what I thought she was at the time wasn’t what she was, she was dangling a bit of a carrot. She’d say, “I do like you, there’s something there”. Sometimes shed be argumentative and horrible and then the next day she’d be alright. She kept saying there must be something there because she’s getting jealous, but Charlene shut it down and said just because she’s jealous doesn’t mean she likes you.

Kelly Coughlin: Would you recommend people to apply and if so, what advice would you give?

Only advice I’d give is to be authentic, be yourself. If you go in with a motive to act like someone else or be someone else, they’re the ones who it will come back and bite them in the arse. I would recommend, it I don’t regret it. I was so sceptical, but the welfare and producers really look after you.

Stacey Ditroia: How did you feel seeing Leigh’s brunette hair for the first time?

I thought that was a weird one, I’m not gonna lie. She had made this whole big thing about every brunette that I fancy and then for her to come in with the dark hair. And she whispered to Bec, “I wanted to look like you” which was weird. At that point I didn’t give a shit about her though.

Kay Henderson: Have you ever been referred to as Pat Butcher because of your love of earrings?

No but I love that. Those ear defender ones, Leigh said they looked lovely when I asked her. Now I’m thinking, did she try to make me look like a dickhead?

Cass Sprawling: If you did it all again, would you do anything differently?

I wouldn’t change anything. I can’t act as someone different. I’d just do the same shit again with someone more tolerant of me.

Rebecca Hannah: Are you still in touch with Leigh as friends?

No. I’m civil with her but not since all the things that have happened and how she’s tried to sabotage me since coming out.

Emily Joanne: Can we hear your coming out story? If it’s not too personal

I was 25, I was on a night out and this beautiful girl kept following me around. I played football all my life and I’d only known lesbians to be quite butch. Probably more like Leigh’s type. This girl kept following me around and I had no idea she was gay. She brushed my legs a few times and I thought, “is she trying to have a fight with me or something”? So, I ask her what is your problem? You’ve harassed me all night. What is it? And she was like, “calm down, I just fancy you.”

I didn’t know she was trying to flirt with me. Later I thought, if she tries to kiss me it’s gonna be more awkward to not kiss her back. My mum used to say, “does he give you butterflies” and I remember sitting in the hot tub with this girl getting butterflies. Next day I rang my mum and dad on facetime and told them about the kiss. I said I must be a lesbian because I got butterflies. My mum said it will be a phase, dad said whatever makes you happy. The girl asked me on a date, and we ended up in a year long relationship. I told everyone straight away. So, from 25 I’ve been on and off dating boys and girls. I’m with someone else now, she’s the first person who puts me in my feminine energy. I always date girls more fem than me so I’m in my masc energy. I think that’s why I kept going back to men every other year because I think maybe I miss a man. But with her I’m in my feminine energy and I like it.

Who have you remained friends with?

Nelly, Bec and Keye are great friends, they will be in my life forever.

If this is the 36-year-old version of Leah, what does Leah at 40 look like?

At 30 you have some big changes, there is another shift in the way you think and that, I hope things get better again. I’ve got friends and family around me and I’ve been so lucky to have people who have always supported me. With or without the show, I’ve worked hard to be where I’m at.

Since I’ve been diagnosed, I’ve been looking at ways to support families, to give back. I’d love to help families, to support families waiting for autism diagnosis. So many kids are misjudged, and I was one of them.