The stars of the new series of Love Island, which has started tonight on ITV2, will be facing a social media ban for the first time.
Contestants on the ninth series of the hit reality show will be instructed to pause their social accounts, including Instagram and Twitter.
It’s part of ITV’s new duty of care guidelines, designed to protect and support the islanders.
In previous years, those taking part in the scantily-clad search for love handed the reigns of their social media accounts over to their loved ones, who posted content on their behalf.
Those actually in the Love Island villa have never had access to social media, leaving their families on the outside to face any trolling that has cropped up on their accounts.
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Love Island contestants’ Instagram accounts will remain silent until they leave the villa. Credit: ITV
But this year it’ll be all change, with winter Love Island contestants told to pause their social media accounts, including their lucrative Instagram platforms, to ‘protect both the Islanders and their families from the adverse effects of social media’.
The move has drawn support from former contestants and psychologists, reports the BBC, who say the show now has a ‘gold standard’ when it comes to duty of care.
ITV has thrown a huge amount of resource behind contestants’ wellbeing in recent years, following the tragic deaths of former Love Islanders Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon.
ITV said: “As part of extended measures to protect both the Islanders and their families from the adverse effects of social media, participants will be asked to pause handles and accounts on their social media platforms for the duration of their time on the show.
“Islanders’ accounts will remain dormant while they are in the Villa, so that nothing is published on their behalf.”
Also new this year will be the show’s presenter, as Maya Jama steps up to fill the stillettos of Laura Whitmore.
Those taking part in winter Love Island include Michelle Keegan‘s ‘body double’ Olivia, PE teacher and part-time rugby player from Manchester Kai, and farmer Will, who already has a massive social media following on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
Despite the silence on their accounts, fans will still be able to find them and follow them, with Islanders typically leaving the show with hundreds of thousands – if not more than a million – new followers.
Featured image: ITV
TV & Showbiz
Watch the moment Coldplay bring out Aitch as surprise guest on second night in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Coldplay stunned the huge crowd at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday evening when they brought out a very special guest – Manchester’s very own Aitch.
The young rapper from Moston popped up with the band on the second night of their sold-out run in Manchester.
Aitch has rocketed to fame (and wormed his way into all of our hearts) in recent years with hit singles Strike A Pose, Taste (Make It Shake) and Baby, as well as for his work to raise awareness for Down’s Syndrome, inspired by his little sister Gracie.
His surprise appearance on the Etihad Stadium stage comes just a week before his headline slot at Parklife festival.
And while the global sensations Coldplay duetting with local rap star Aitch wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card, the local crowd absolutely lapped up the surprise performance.
Aitch stood beside Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to perform his hit song Buss Down. He was dressed in a two-piece blue and white outfit.
Chris was seen grinning to himself as he sang the lyrics ‘We busy makin’ love and smokin’ kush now’.
The 23-year-old star also rapped through his hit song 1989, which samples the riff from The Stone Roses’ Fools Gold, while Chris played along on an acoustic guitar.
Watch Aitch and Coldplay together on stage in Manchester below
On the first night of Coldplay’s run of shows, they performed a cover of James’ Sit Down – so they seem to be chipping away at our city’s staggering list of homegrown talents.
With two shows still to go, they could bring out some more local special guests yet…
Reaction on social media to Aitch’s appearance has been swift – and baffled.
One person wrote: “Aitch x Coldplay was the combo I didn’t realise I needed.”
Another said: “Coldplay have brought Aitch out, what the f*ck…”
Someone else tweeted: “Am very confused that Coldplay brought aitch out tonight but we move.”
And one tweet said: “Never did I think I’d see aitch at a coldplay concert let alone chris Martin singing buss down what was that all about.”
It was the second night of Coldplay’s four-night run at the Manchester City home ground. The group will be back on 3 and 4 June for more glittering shows.
ITV to launch external review into Phillip Schofield’s controversial This Morning exit
Emily Sergeant
ITV has confirmed that it is commissioning an external review into Phillip Schofield’s controversial departure from This Morning.
It comes after the 61-year-old announced back on 20 May that he was to step down from presenting the ITV daytime show with immediate effect, after first taking over presenting reins in 2002 and fronting the programme for the past 21 years.
Alongside co-presenter Holly Willoughby, Schofield became a well-known face on daytime television and went on to win numerous awards for his presenting work over the past two decades – but rumours began swirling that his professional relationship and off-screen friendship with Willoughby had soured.
Schofield explained that the unconfirmed rift between himself and his co-presenter, as well as the fact “This Morning itself has become the story”, lead to his decision to depart to the show.
Schofield’s stepping down from the presenting role also comes after he had taken several weeks off-air recently – some as pre-planned leave, and some while his brother, Timothy Schofield, faced trial for sexual abuse against a teenage boy.
Phillip Schofield had presented the daytime TV show since 2002 before stepping down / Credit: ITV
Following his already-controversial exit, Schofield then issued a formal statement confirming he had an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague last Friday, and resigned from ITV all together after admitting to both the affair, and to lying about it.
ITV has now confirmed it has now instructed a barrister to carry out an external review into the situation to “establish the facts”.
Ahead of the broadcaster’s executives appearing before the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committe next week, and being quizzed by MPs over their handling of the situation at This Morning, ITV’s Dame Carolyn McCall said in a letter – as seen by the PA News Agency, and reported by Sky News, BBC News, ITV News, and more – said they are taking the matter “extremely seriously”.
ITV has commissioned an external review into the presenter’s controversial This Morning exit / Credit: ITV
She wrote: “You will have seen the significant media coverage concerning Phillip Schofield [and] as you would expect, we take the matter extremely seriously and have reviewed our own records over the weekend.
“Given the ongoing rumours, we continued to ask questions of both parties, who both continued to deny the rumours, including as recently as this month.
Daisy Jackson -
16th January 2023 
