The Love Island star says she wants Lucia to have a relationship with her father, who is serving nine years for drug offences.
Shaughna Phillips, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2020, has revealed that she takes her eight-month-old daughter Lucia to visit her father in prison.
The 29-year-old reality star is raising her daughter alone after her ex-partner, Billy Webb, was sentenced to nine years in jail for his involvement in a drug trafficking ring.
Shaughna, who kept her relationship with Billy secret and only announced her pregnancy in April 2023, said she was shocked when he was arrested when she was seven months pregnant.
She said she decided to take Lucia to see him in prison because she wants her to have a bond with her father, despite his mistakes.
Speaking on the Oh Baby! podcast, Shaughna said: "I've been living in this weird life that I never, ever anticipated I would be living. It's not ideal, this is not how I thought my life was going to be... The only thing that's difficult is that I need to bear in mind that one day, Lucia may listen to the words that I say, may read things that I've said."
She added: "Before I was in this position, before I had a baby, if you had asked me would I ever, ever take my child into a prison, the answer would be absolutely not. Anyone that does that is crazy. And then, lo and behold, I'm now in this position. And I think the thing is, we're always going to be co-parents.
"And I know that me and my dad had the best relationship ever, and to me, my dad is the best person in the world. And I don't want Lucia to think differently of her father... So I take her [Lucia] to see him. She's not going to have any idea, and I would never, ever stop him from seeing her, ever."
Shaughna said she and Billy are still on good terms and that he is supportive of her and Lucia. She said she hopes he will turn his life around when he gets out of prison.
She said: "At the end of the day, this is where Lucia's dad is. This is where my co-parent is, and we need to just need to be amenable and roll with the punches."
Shaughna, who has over 1.5 million followers on Instagram, said she has received a lot of support from her fans and fellow Love Island stars, who have praised her for being a strong and loving mother.
She said she is focused on giving Lucia the best life possible and that she is not looking for a new relationship at the moment.
She said: "I'm not interested in dating, I'm not interested in anything like that. I'm just interested in being the best mum I can be to Lucia, and making sure she's happy and healthy and loved."
