ITV's reality dating show "Love Island" has attracted 534 complaints to the UK's broadcast regulator Ofcom in a four-day period, with viewers citing concerns over "predatory and women-hating" treatment of contestants. The significant number of complaints places "Love Island" at the top of Ofcom's weekly report, which lists programming that receives more than 50 complaints.
Four episodes of the show were logged in the recent Ofcom report. The "Movie Night" episode alone received 197 complaints, with viewers alleging that contestant Jasmine Gaziza Müller was targeted. Another 167 complaints were registered following the boys' return from Casa Amor, which resulted in distress for contestants Angelista and Jasmine.
An episode featuring a confrontation between contestants Lola and Julia, stemming from Lola revealing Julia's flirtations with Sean, generated 75 complaints. These figures follow previous criticism of the show's bosses for what some viewers described as "unacceptable, predatory and woman-hating" treatment of Jasmine.
Jasmine, a 27-year-old fashion designer and influencer, has been at the center of considerable drama. Her relationship with 21-year-old electrician Kavan Murphy was a focal point, particularly after Kavan returned from Casa Amor with another contestant, Charleen Murphy, while Jasmine remained single. Viewers expressed concern that Jasmine was being given a "villain edit," especially after "Movie Night" clips focused on her brief flirtations, leading to scenes where she was shown visibly distressed.
Social media users urged others to contact Ofcom, with one X user stating, "i think it is predatory of @LoveIsland and @ITV to target Jasmine in challenges to the point of a mental breakdown and film it and air it.... I think todays episode went too far and they shouldve left her privacy. Thats someone in clear distress, do better."
This is not the first time the show has faced a high volume of complaints. In the week of June 16 to June 22, the show received 186 complaints, with viewers expressing discomfort over the behavior of contestant Tommy, including his interactions and kisses with other female contestants. Many of these complaints in June were related to alleged misogyny towards female contestants.
ITV has provided details of its duty of care procedures for "Love Island" participants, which include pre-filming psychological and medical assessments, ongoing support from mental health professionals, and aftercare provisions such as therapy sessions and proactive contact for up to 14 months post-show. These procedures have evolved over the years, influenced by the tragic circumstances involving former host Caroline Flack and contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.
The show has previously recorded even higher numbers of complaints. In August 2021, a dispute between Faye Winter and Teddy Soares led to 24,763 complaints, largely concerning Faye's behavior during a "Movie Night" challenge fallout. Last year, "Love Island" was the most complained-about program overall, with one episode drawing 3,547 complaints related to the bullying of contestant Shakira Khan.