Love Island UK returns, promises that its new cast of conventionally attractive people is its most "diverse" yet
The ITV series kicks off its upcoming season on June 28
Love Island announced their newest group of Islanders in pursuit of love for their upcoming seventh season, and as you probably guessed it’s a “well-rounded” group of ripped, excessively groomed, and effortlessly cheeky people.
This year’s lineup includes self-described “social butterfly” Liberty Poole, VIP events host Aaron Francis, beauty pageant queen Sharon Gaffka, PE teacher Hugo Hammond, model Shannon Singh, soccer player Toby Aromolaran, fashion blogger Kaz Kamwi, financial marketing executive Chloe, labourer Brad McClelland, and more. Though there are more people of color joining the season this time around, they are all thin, young, and beautiful, so Love Island might still have a way to go in terms of some more daring and realistic examples of diversity.
Last year’s debauchery was cancelled due to the pandemic, but this summer the Islanders return to the Mallorca villa where cameras will watch their every move over the course of six weeks as they search for love.
The day before revealing the cast, Love Island posted on Instagram, stressing that viewers should “think before [they] post.” Last week, the series unveiled “duty of care” protocols to to “support participants before, during and after filming.” The show’s welfare protocol now consists of: assessments by doctors, psychologists and contestants’ own general practitioners, social media training, financial advice and “adjusting to life back home,” and 8 therapy sessions after conclusion of the season.
Love Island has been rocked by three suicides over the last few years. Most recently, former host Caroline Flack died by suicide while awaiting trial on assault charges after allegedly attacking her boyfriend in February 2020. Season 2 contestant Sophie Gradon died by suicide in June 2018 after appearing on the show in 2016. The following March, Mike Thalassitis, who appeared on season 3, also died by suicide. Thalassitis and Gradon’s mother both recently spoke out against the show, urging contestants to “walk away before it’s too late.”
The new season of Love Island begins airing on June 28.