This week the line-up for Love Island Class of 2019 was revealed and was met with mixed reactions from fans and critics. Fans took to Twitter to voice their opinions and some labelled this year's Love Island cast as a "Poundland version" of the cast from the previous years. The show's producers also came under fire for a lack of body diversity shown on the show.
Speaking to Radio Times, creative director Richard Cowles responded to this criticism around on the lack of body diversity. He defended the line-up claiming that they have been as diverse as possible in the selection process:
First and foremost, it’s an entertainment show and it’s about people wanting to watch who you’ve got on screen falling in love with one another
Yes, we want to be as representative as possible but we also want them to be attracted to one another.
Also, we’re not saying that everyone that’s in there is how you’re supposed to look. We’re saying here’s a group of people that we want to watch for eight weeks, and we want to watch them fall in love.
Twitter users were quick to point out Cowles poor choice of words in defending the show.
"We want to be as representative as possible but we also want them to be attracted to one another."
Are you fucking kidding me? How is ok for senior TV executives to talk like this? https://t.co/vucrtV7gUf
— Katy Lee (@kjalee) May 30, 2019
Stop contributing to this idea that “fat=unlovable”. You can be representative AND have contestants that actually fancy each other because plus size people can be attractive! It’s called LOVE Island not “supermodel” island. ANYONE can + should find love regardless of size! ???
— Carrie Hope Fletcher (@CarrieHFletcher) May 30, 2019
Advertisement
Ahead of the debut of the new series, Love Island have released a short teaser of the new Islanders. The teaser shows the 12 hopefuls quitting their jobs to for the chance to find love on the ITV2 reality show. Some of the professions that they are giving up to appear on the show are Scientist, Professional Boxer, Pharmacist and Sandwich maker.
You can watch the full teaser here:
Love Island returns Monday 3rd June at 9pm on ITV2.