Is the show really what we think it is….?

(Credit: CloserOnline)

Oliva Hawkins, season 9, reaction to some shocking news about Ellie and Tom

Many viewers have questioned throughout the years whether Love Island, the supposed ‘reality dating show’, is manufactured by producers. But will we ever find out the truth?

In a statement to Metro, a Love Island representative said: “As anyone who watches the show regularly would know, Love Island is a combination
of reality and produced elements that are reflective of what’s happening in the villa and is a fair and accurate representation of villa life.”

Love Island is one of the most popular reality dating shows, and the series has several different spin-offs across the globe. In the show, a group of participants enter a luxury villa where they spend weeks of getting to know each other in the hope of finding love and making it to the end of the season.

Unexpected events regularly happen with twists such as the wildly popular Casa Amour, which ends up either creating or breaking up couples in the show.

Throughout the years of Love Island, there has always been speculation from the public, whether the show is fake or scripted. Whilst producers have continuously denied these allegations, some former islanders have spoken out about what life is really like in the villa and what the public don’t see behind the scenes.

(Credit: Heatworld)
**Girls Gathered around the firepit to welcome Bombshells Jordan and Casey to the Villa.**

The active role of producers influencing events and outcomes are seen on screen, this appears to be something that has gone on throughout the show with evidence from former Love Island cast members.

Season three cast member, Tyla Carr told the Daily Star in 2018 that producers might “suggest that it would be a good idea if you bought up or discussed something”.

She also added that “an announcement would often be made for one of the islanders to go to the sofas to have a chat with one of the producers. They would often tell you what they want you to talk about and who with.”

From previous Islanders, it does appear that producers have been influencing the direction of storylines.

Everything is Fake

Former Islander Amy Day from season 7, spoke to the “Daily Star” about how surprised she was that the producers were so involved. She even said because of this everything was restricted and wasn’t as much fun as she thought it would have been.

(Credit: Love Island Wiki)
**Former Islander Amy Day, from Season 7**

Former Islander Amy Day from season 7, spoke to the “Daily Star” about how surprised she was that the producers were so involved. She even said because of this everything was restricted and wasn’t as much fun as she thought it would have been.

“I wish I knew how fake it was, everything was fake, but Hugo was the biggest example of fakeness, to be honest”

Islanders were restricted with their conversations

Kady Dermott, from Love Island season 2 revealed that production would often tell them they should try and only talk about each other because they couldn’t air the random, unrelated conversations, as they had nothing to do with the drama inside the villa.

(Credit: The Sun)
**Kady Dermott reveals she was punched in the face, in an unaired Love Island scene**

Islanders Have a “Role”

Sharon Gaffka from season 7 who was dumped from the Island on day 19, spoke to My Imperfect Life and said that she believes she was cast to be a certain role within the villa. Sharon also disclosed that her audition process was like a job interview and that she lied to get onto the show. She said she would either be the “sweetheart of the villa” or “public enemy number one”, which production clearly liked so she was selected for the programme.

(Credit: News24)
**Former contestant Sharon Gaffka, from season 7, during a challenge**

Abi Balogun, 21, Student from Birmingham said, “I’m a regular watcher of Love Island and although I’m a big fan of the show, I genuinely believe that this show is scripted, and the cast are told what to do or say by production because a lot of things don’t make sense about the show”.

In Season 5, Anton, Tommy and Danny went to a supermarket and “as a joke”, Anton gave his number to the female cashier. When they got back, Tommy had told Molly-Mae. Molly then later revealed in an interview with Closer, that a producer came up to her and told her that she had to tell Anna. At first Molly-Mae said no, but the producers insisted.

Molly-Mae said she received a lot of backlash for going behind Tommy’s back and telling Anna and wished she stood up for herself more.

“It is absolutely untrue to suggest that Love Island is fake, staged or scripted. The opinions they have, and the relationships formed are completely within the control of the Islanders themselves.”

(Credit: Heat World)
**Sophie Piper and Connor Durham, from Love Island season 6 coupled up**

Former Islander and sister of Rochelle Humes, Sophie Piper explained that Love Island was a mixture of reality and direction. She told Grazia, “A bit of both, but it’s not massively staged. Producers might suggest, why don’t you talk about this or that”.

There was also speculation that Love Island producers engineered the relationship between Maura Higgins and Curtis Pritchard, from Season 5, on the programme.

Several viewers suggested that producers may have pushed Maura to express an interest in Curtis after his breakup with Amy Hart because her attraction to him came out of nowhere and they also questioned whether she was encouraged to pursue him in order to create drama in the villa.

A spokesperson from the ITV2 show denied this claim and said that “this is untrue” and stressed that contestants on the show have total control over the romantic choices they make.

ITV reported that the show had gained the highest share of audience in the timeslot and was the most-watched programme of the day for 16-34s, with about 1.3 million 16-34 TV viewers. Such figures made it the most watched 16-34 programme on a digital channel, according to ITV.

(Credit: Telly Mix)
**Love Island Season 8 Finalists**

Views from a super Fan

Long-Term suspicions

Angel Astride, A make-up influencer on Instagram said, “Since I’ve started watching the show, I’ve always questioned whether it is real or fake. I think parts of show are fake, but not everything.”

Clues being confirmed

Angel Says: “What I even found strange about the show is during the finals on season 8, the finalists were standing in their exact order of places and that right there confirmed to me that the show is somewhat scripted. I’ve also realised that a lot of the time former Love Islanders that come out of the villa, have something to say about the producers either telling them what to do or who to talk to; and they sometimes are surprised some parts of the show are unaired.”

Is it Worth the watch anymore?

“I’ve been a love Islander watcher, since the very beginning and I feel like since, the show has gotten more recognition, it feels more staged, and we need more honesty from television. I want to see more people making their own decisions and not being influenced by producers”

I guess we’ve finally solved your questions and can indeed confirm that Love Island is 100% staged. We’ve given you all the evidence, you need. So don’t turn a blind eye.

Janet Magazine calls on producers of the show to change their ways.

By Janet Bangura, Covfeed