Love Island boss says the show is just ‘about boys and girls coupling up’
He said they haven’t found a way to make gay couples work on the show
Greg BarradaleA Love Island boss has said the show is “about boys and girls coupling up”, and poured cold water on the idea of the show including gay contestants.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV festival, boss Kevin Lygo said: “Love Island is a particular thing, of course, it’s about boys and girls coupling up.
“So if you wanted to do a gay version, or you wanted to widen it, it is discussed and we haven’t yet found a way that would make it suitable for that show. ”
The show’s producers attracted controversy at the start of the series when ITV commissioner Amanda Stavri said LGBT+ contestants could present “logistical difficulties”.
Love Island bosses have long talked up efforts to make the show more diverse. But, speaking yesterday, Lygo said the diversity of shows across ITV could make up for the homogeneity of Love Island.
“You talk about Strictly, we had a gay couple on Dancing On Ice before that. We had a blind skater on Dancing On Ice we had a disabled person in I’m a celebrity last year. So I think ITV is already involved in the portrayal of a wide range of people on their shows,” he said.
Lygo also dismissed the number of Ofcom complaints this series received, saying “it’s very easy now to complain”, and added: “the thing about complaints these days is every week there is a new most-complained-about show.”
For all the latest Love Island gossip, news, quizzes and memes – like The Holy Church of Love Island on Facebook.
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