Love Island UK season 8 has received hundreds of complaints, primarily about contestants getting bullied. The ITV show's latest season premiered in early June. So far it's been a hit, with Love Island season 8 amassing the most viewers in years. However, that doesn't mean every response to the current run is positive.
The dating series has been a much-discussed hit since its premiere back in 2015. Once seasons started streaming on Hulu, it also gained a huge international audience. Plus the unique format, which airs a new episode daily, gives viewers a large amount of content. The current season has earned millions of viewers from live airings, ITV Hub, and Hulu. With so many tuning in, there were bound to be some complaints. Now, the biggest issues viewers have with the latest Love Island season have been revealed.
An overview of the Ofcom complaints was published in The Daily Star UK on Tuesday, July 5. An unidentified spokesperson for Ofcom told Daily Star that the dating series received almost 800 complaints over the first four weeks. A recurring theme in the complaints was concern about the ways certain contestants were bullying others. Many viewers also voiced related concerns over how this treatment would affect "certain contestants’ wellbeing and mental health." According to Ofcom.org, the June 23 episode alone received 75 complaints. That hour saw rugby player Jaques O'Neill yelling at fan-favorite contestant Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. Jaques insulted the Turkish actress as a "f-cking headache" as she lamented falling out with then-partner Jay. The 23-year-old has also been criticized for his treatment of love interest Paige Thorne, whom he called "pathetic." Producers were also accused of "setting up" couple Indiyah Polock and Dami Hope to receive harsh fallout from the show's signature Casa Amor twist.
Many also objected to "certain contestants being given more screen time in the main show edit than others." After fans noticed Black contestants received far less screen time than white contestants, they accused the show of racist editing. ITV issued a response denying those allegations.
Additionally, the age gap between Gemma Owen and Davide Sanclimenti earned the network nearly 200 complaints in the first week. Many on social media expressed concern for 19-year-old Gemma, who was briefly coupled up with 27-year-old Davide. Those complaints subsided once the couple fizzled out. However, it also launched a discussion about a potential age limit for future seasons.
Fan concerns over contestants' mental health is understandable. Former Islanders have been very open about the toll appearing on the show took on their mental health. These previous contestants have referenced bullying from co-stars and social media, as well as unfair and inattentive treatment from production. Some have chided the show for not adequately preparing contestants for how to handle their post-show stardom. And tragically, two former stars took their own lives, as did previous Love Island host Caroline Flack.
Fortunately, the show has course corrected after many complaints in the past. This includes adding more diversity amongst contestants. Producers have responded by improving duty of care, and providing psychological help on-set. Now, fans will have to wait and see how the reality TV hit handles the bullying accusations.
Love Island UK season 8 airs daily on ITV2. Episodes will also be available to stream on Hulu.
Source: The Daily Star UK, Ofcom