Apparently ITV Doesn’t Want Any LGBTQ+ Representation On “Love Island” Because It Would Be “Logistically Difficult”
When it comes to trashy television there’s nothing more scared than putting a horde of silicone injected broads and juiced-up fuckboys on an island with tons of booze at their disposal. That’s basically the bare-bones premise for long-running British reality mess Love Island on ITV. To be on the show, you just have to be Instagram model hot and desperate. However, the one thing you apparently can’t be is gay because, according to ITV boss Kevin Lygo, that’s not in line with what Love Island is all about.
According to Huffington Post UK, Kevin Lygo has been facing a backlash with the declining ratings of Love Island’s past seasons, but instead of admitting Love Island‘s life support machine is preparing for the last beep, he’s coughing up lies and propaganda to keep the narrative going.
Asked about the future of Love Island during an interview at the Edinburgh Television Festival, Lygo insisted: “I don’t think it has peaked, I think this [slight drop in the ratings] is a pattern that you see when new programmes come along and they are huge phenomenons.”
He continued: “There are many years left in it and I think the challenge thrown down to producers – and let’s give them a bit of credit, through a pandemic they managed to make a show every single night – is to make some subtle change to spice it up a bit and make it as fresh as you can.”
Sir, there ain’t too much you can do to spice up a show about thirsty thotbuckets drinking and fucking on an island. This isn’t exactly Shakespeare. But whatever changes that need to be made will never include having gay contestants or offering an all LGBTQ+ version of the show because, in Kevin Lygo’s words, it’s supposed to be all about boys and girls coupling up. Even though a few past contestants have come out after their time on the series, ITV commissioner Amanda Stavri admits that there will be no same-sex funny business taking place on the show because it presents too many production challenges.
“In terms of gay Islanders, I think the main challenge is regarding the format of Love Island,” she claimed.
“There’s a sort of logistical difficulty, because although Islanders don’t have to be 100 percent straight, the format must sort of give [the] Islanders an equal choice when coupling up.”
Ma’am, you’re missing an opportunity here. A bunch of hot guys and copious amounts of alcohol on an island is already an award-winning experience called New York City Pride. Can you imagine the drama, the sex, the fights, the meltdowns?? It would be the most popular show on your network! And Twitter believes that ITV is just masking their homophobia and blaming it completely on not being able to sell the show.
a LGBTQ season of love island hosted by the fab five from queer eye, called queer eyeland
— matt (@mattxiv) August 27, 2021
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again we need a LGBTQ+ version of love island or love island needs to include different couple types next series and not just represent heterosexual relationships #LoveIsland
— jack (@jacktpowis) August 23, 2021
#LoveIsland producers knowing they’ve got to sit through another year of people asking for an LGBTQ+ version pic.twitter.com/j4tZj3iSKj
— jordan (@jordeaves) August 23, 2021
And while Kevin and Amanda’s answers are trash, I’m sure many of us can’t wait to add “logistically difficult” to our dating profiles.
Pic: ITV