Travis Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole has explained why she turned her DMs off on social media during an appearance on the ‘Behind the Likes’ podcast.

Nicole had been unnecessarily dragged into countless headlines and became the topic of multiple online discussions after Kelce began dating Taylor Swift.

‘I turned off my comments recently,’ Kayla said after being asked how she deals with criticism.

‘You can’t DM me anymore … because people just talk crazy and I’ve had enough.

‘I’m exhausted, I’m tired. It’s a new year and, to be honest, it’s the same me. So in order for it to be a new me, I need to do some new things.

So that starts with just protecting my peace and you’re not just gonna talk to me any kind of way, you’re not saying anything else to me.

‘You can talk to a black hole — comments off. ‘

The model dated the four-time All-Pro tight end on-and-off from 2017 to 2022.

‘I posted this the other day, “All of this stuff that y’all say to me on the internet, you would never say to my face,”’ Nicole continued. ‘I promise you that. I’m a super kind person but do not ever play with me for real.

When it comes to the internet, I just learned that in the long run it’s a waste of my energy.’

During the podcast appearance she also spoke about her decision to post a candid open letter on Instagram addressing the backlash.

I was at a crossroads where I felt like unseen and unheard and I felt like everyone was kind of talking for me in one way or another,’ she said.

‘I was put in the middle of this, just social media s*** show of a situation and it was like I wanted to address things directly, but I knew that if I didn’t do it my way, on my terms and my own time that it was going to be spun into something else.

‘I’m so happy with what I did. I remember a point where I couldn’t sleep at night, I was so emotional … It was a buildup.

I needed to say something because at the end of the day … I was keeping the peace for everybody else, but what about the peace within me?

‘I think I handled it in the most appropriate way that I could. I got my point across and I feel like people that needed to hear that message heard it and I stand on it.’