Kaz Crossley says she takes ‘full accountability’ after being detained in Abu Dhabi

‘I did not lie and explained it was a long time ago’


Love Island’s Kaz Crossley has spoken out after she was detained at Abu Dhabi airport on drug charges earlier last week.

According to The Sun, Kaz’s name was flagged up to authorities after a video of her allegedly snorting a white substance was leaked in 2020. Kaz was freed last week after “fully cooperating” with officials.

A spokesperson for the star released a statement about the news and said: “Kaz has fully cooperated with officials and is free to continue her journey.”

via Instagram @kazcrossley

Kaz has now spoken out about the ordeal in a video on her Instagram. In the video, Kaz explains she was on a flight to Thailand and “did not think about the transit in Abu Dhabi”, and confirmed it was her in the video that was leaked in 2020.

She said: “In 2020, I was in Dubai and I was filmed. It was me in the video, no one forced me to do that. It was a time of my life where I definitely didn’t love myself at all and this is reflected in what I was doing to my body and who I surrounded myself with.

“A year later it then got leaked and then more recently I was on my way to Thailand, I had an amazing job offer and did not think about the transit in Abu Dhabi. I wasn’t thinking and I was then detained in Abu Dhabi and kept in custody from Monday through to Friday, which is when they released me.

“I was very accepting of the situation and I was ready for whatever was going to happen to me. At the end of the day I take full accountability, I did not lie and said that was me in the video and explained it was a long time ago.”

Kaz went on to say that the video wasn’t taken by a friend but rather by someone who she was in a private relationship with. The former Love Island star was quick to squash the speculation of it being Theo, and said: “It wasn’t Theo! We are friends now and just filmed a show together, please stop sending him abuse. It was a relationship I kept private.”

A number of Kaz’s friends have sent support her way in the comment section of her Instagram post. Zara McDermott, who was on the same season of Love Island as Kaz, commented: “There is no adult human being on this planet who had no made a single mistake; yet people are so quick to judge and it’s something I will never get my head around. One mistake doesn’t define you, it’s the value you add to the world, and that’s a lot!”

Anna Vakili, who was on season five of Love Island also left a comment and wrote: “You were one of the first people to message me messages of kindness and support when I first got out of the villa. You are one of the nicest most genuine girls I’ve met in this industry. Stay strong you are one of a kind.”

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Featured image credit via Instagram @kazcrossley.