What did Cassidy McGill do? White powder controversy explained as Love Island Australia star issues apology 

Cassidy McGill recently landed in hot waters for accidentally posting an incriminating photo of herself with white powder on Instagram last Wednesday, December 28, 2022. The Love Island star broke her silence and apologized for the same via an Instagram story on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.

Disclaimer: This article contains images and information about drug use, which may be disturbing to some readers. Discretion is advised.

The photo, which showed McGill with a plate containing two lines of white powder, was captioned “Ooops, see you tomorrow.” It was deleted instantly but had already started circulating widely by then.

The fashion and lifestyle vlogger spoke up about the photo after a week's silence (Image via @cattcity/Instagram).

Cassidy McGill released her apology after a week of speculation on social media about her drug habits and the potential fallout from the photo.

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Cassidy McGill admits that her behavior was "out of character"

Cassidy McGill, 27, was formerly a bartender from Melbourne, Australia. She found her way to stardom after being cast in season 1 of the Australian Love Island series in 2018.

She has since used her social media as a beauty and lifestyle platform, where she endorses a range of products from hair vitamins to teeth whiteners. She also runs a YouTube vlog called The Cassidy Show.

After being caught up in the white powder scandal, netizens brought up the future of her brand deals, wondering whether the brands she endorses will "support this sort of activity."

The activity in question showed the reality star turning influencer with a white plate on her knee while sitting on the ground wearing a pair of blue jeans.

The controversy arose from two distinct lines of white powder on the plate, alongside a tiny bag containing more of some unidentified white substance. In the photo, McGill was also seen clutching a cylindrical object or rolled up paper in her right hand.

A few voices rose to lambast the vlogger for her actions. Some were disappointed with McGill's lack of foresight about her responsibilities as a public figure.

Comments regarding Cassidy's recent picture (Image via Cassidy McGill/YouTube).

In her apology, Cassidy McGill stated that she has used the past week to reflect on her actions, adding that her behavior was "out of character." She also wrote that she was truly sorry for letting everyone down.

The apology was addressed to her friends, family, team, and the brands she represented. She admitted to making a mistake and stated that she did not "take it lightly." McGill concluded with a wish to earn back her followers' trust and respect:

"I hope over time I can earn your trust and respect back. Thank you to those who have reached out. Love, Cass."

Despite the online backlash, a few fans continued to remain in Cassidy's corner.

Her latest video on Instagram had supportive messages among the top comments (Image via @cattcity/Instagram).

The incident was also compared to the white powder scandal of Australian model and designer Nadia Bartel. In September 2021, a short video clip of Bartel inhaling white powder was accidentally uploaded on her friend's Instagram.

Some noted that the wording of the two apologies was also remarkably similar.

The wording of the two apologies was noted as point of comparison (Image via @ellie_pearson & @nadiabartel/Instagram).

As of writing this article, Cassidy McGill has approximately 395k followers on Instagram and 105k subscribers on YouTube.