Love Island contestants are to be banned from social media during this upcoming series to shield themselves and their families from online abuse.
In a move that was trialled for the first time during the winter series earlier this year, ITV bosses have announced restrictions on social media usage for the cast of the hit reality competition show’s highly-anticipated upcoming 10th season – which is due to start in just a few weeks time.
It’s part of the broadcaster’s new duty of care guidelines and procedures.
As contestants have no access or contact with the outside world while they’re in the villa, this has often meant that in previous years, the reigns of their social media accounts have been handed over to loved ones to post content on their behalf – but the show has been heavily criticised for this, as it has tended to subject their families to having to deal with trolling and abusive comments.
This is on top of the the criticism the dating show has faced following the highly-publicised deaths of former contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis, as well as former presenter Caroline Flack – who all took their own lives.
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Love Island contestants will be banned from social media while in the villa / Credit: ITV
The show has also been the subject of widespread discussion, criticism, and subsequent Ofcom complaints over alleged toxic or abusive behaviour among participants.
In an attempt to address the issue of trolling and abuse aimed at Islanders, ITV instructed the contestants of its ninth series earlier this year to either suspend their accounts or prevent loved ones from posting content during their time in the villa.
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Following the success of this trial, the move is to be made permanent.
As part of the new duty of care procedures, ITV has now formally introduced the social media ban for the summer series – which is due to begin airing on ITV2 on Monday 5 June – and will be asking participants to pause their accounts for the duration of their time on the show to ensure that both they and their families are protected as best as possible.
The move has been welcomed by former contestants including Amy Hart, Tasha Ghouri, and Liam Reardon – who have branded it as “great” and “needs to be done”.
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Elsewhere in ITV’s duty of care guidelines, before going on the show and before meeting their fellow contestants, islanders will complete video training and guidance across a range of topics including mutually respectful behaviour in relationships, behaviour patterns associated with controlling and coercive behaviour, and language around disability, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and microaggressions before they meet their fellow contestants.
Prospective islanders will also watch a video of the show’s executive producer and head of welfare interviewing former contestants about their experiences in the villa.
ITV says the social media ban is to shield contestants and their families from online abuse / Credit: ITV
As well as the in-house therapists who have been present in the villa for several seasons now, psychological support and an aftercare package is also to be provided contestants when they leave the villa.
This will include how to cope with being filmed 24/7, and the interactions they will have with the show’s producers.
Support is also given to family members of contestants about how to deal with social media trolling, and adapting to life away from the show.
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
The BBC is looking for people to apply for the next series of The Traitors
Daisy Jackson
The BBC is currently casting for the next series of The Traitors, and is looking for some deceptive Mancunians to take part.
It’s safe to say that The Traitors is pretty much a cultural phenomenon at this point.
Pretty much everyone and their dog is tuning in to watch The Celebrity Traitors on Thursday and Friday evenings, but this time it’s not about the celebs.
Producers describe The Traitors as a ‘game of trust and treachery’, and there’s always plenty of twists, turns, shocks, and surprises along the way – but do you reckon you’ve got what it takes to play?
If so, the BBC is currently casting for the next series of the popular show, and is calling on people in Greater Manchester and across the UK to apply.
Applications are currently open to players who are over 18 years of age and have the right to legally reside in the UK.
The first series of the smash-hit BBC reality competition show proved pretty popular when it premiered back in 2022, but the second series took things to a whole new level, and truly seemed to capture the attentions of the nation like no other – with millions of viewers tuning in to watch the three episodes each week.
But in case you haven’t seen it, The Traitors is, put simply, a competition series that’s built on strategy, suspicion, and deception, where a team of players are tasked with competing in a series of missions – with the more missions they complete successfully, the bigger the prize pot gets.
However, hidden among the players are the ‘Traitors’, who meet in secret and decide who to eliminate from their fellow players known as the ‘Faithfuls’.
The aim for the ‘Traitors’ is to stay undetected until the end, while the aim for the ‘Faithfuls’ is to banish all of the Traitors before the game ends.
Up for it? You have until 31 May 2027 to apply for the next series of The Traitors here.
Traitors star and comedian Joe Lycett is putting cash behind the bar at two Manchester pubs
Daisy Jackson
Comedian Joe Lycett is putting money behind the bar at two Manchester pubs this week, as he continues to encourage people to get out and support their local boozers.
The TV favourite – who is also currently one of the stars on The Traitors – announced the news as he bid farewell to his fictional TV pub The Lycett Arms.
On the show, he said: “There are 45,000 pubs in the UK – go and give them some love.”
Joe Lycett then proceeded to list 30 brilliant pubs up and down the country, including two in Manchester, and announced that the drinks are on him this week.
He told audiences: “[This] Friday I’ll be putting a little bit of money behind the bar in all the pubs you’ve just seen. I hope you can have a drink on me.”
The pubs he picked out in Manchester are the iconic old boozer The Peveril of the Peak, and the excellent pub and comedy venue The Old Monkey.
The Peveril of the Peak on Great Bridgewater Street is a real icon in the city centre, with its green tiled exterior and its cosy interiors.
Until recently, it was run by legendary local landlady Nancy Swanick, who died in July at the age of 96.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterInside The Pev
Commenting on Joe Lycett’s post about his pub offer, they wrote: “You are all more than welcome at The Pev. Give me a shout and I will sort you out with a pie, Joe.”
The Old Monkey, meanwhile, is famed for its comedy nights run by Trapdoor Comedy Club, and for its open mic sessions, as well as award-winning beers.
The Portland Street pub has also very kindly agreed to match Joe Lycett’s donation, which means double the budget for pints for Mancs.
Emily Sergeant -
25th May 2023 
