Love Island announces increased mental health support for cast

Several former contestants have revealed the extreme diet and exercise regimes they undertook in the months leading up to filming in order to be villa-body ready, describing it as ‘hideous’ and ‘restrictive’.

Viewers aren’t immune to these types of pressures, with 1 in 4 viewers surveyed admitting they experienced anxiety about their body image while watching reality TV.

Montana Brown from the 3^rd season of Love Island wants to reassure viewers that what they’re seeing on the telly is not all what it seems.

‘Nobody looks like the girls on Love Island naturally’ she said. ‘People who are watching the show should remember those bodies aren’t ‘normal’ – there’s been a lot of hard work, gruelling fitness regimes and healthy eating put into them.’

Although national media exposure is what they’ve signed up for, when the show is over participants must then deal with returning into the public where they’re known by a lot more people – and not all those people like them.

Psychologists have pointed out that the main difference between Love Island and other competitive TV shows is that contestants aren’t judged on their skills, such as creativity, singing or dancing.

Instead they’re primarily judged by their fellow islanders (and the world) on their appearance and personality, which can have a ‘significant impact on their feelings of self-worth.’

It should come as no surprise that the villa becomes a pressure cooker for emotions and anxiety to run high.

Don’t get it twisted. It’s extremely entertaining to watch beautiful people catching a tan, discussing what Brexit means for the UK’s tree population, and getting into jealousy-fuelled arguments over someone they met less than a week ago.

But given the show’s track record of poor mental health post-production, combined with participant accounts of the pressure of being perfect on screen, the new wellness protocols seem like a necessary step.

These types of patterns extend across the entertainment industry, too. Although discussions about mental health are more prominent than ever, there appears to be a pattern of celebrities of all ages suffering from extreme mental health issues due to fame.

Chasing notoriety and acceptance on such a large scale is debatably detrimental to individuals. In the age of cancel culture, maintaining that acceptance has become even more difficult.

The list of actors, musicians, and fashion designers who have taken their own lives due to the highs and lows of the industry unfortunately continues to grow.

The good news is that media companies are recognising this pattern and creating solutions to make reality TV a little less toxic for those involved. Let’s hope Love Island’s newest efforts to change have positive, long-term effects.