Love Island is set to start on June 28 – but is the ITV2 dating show actually real or is it simply scripted?
The popular series has provided us with plenty of jaw-dropping moments over the years.
So, what really happens behind the villa doors of Love Island? Here’s everything you need to know.
Is Love Island real?
Yes, the majority of Love Island is very much real.
In the past, bosses have hit back at claims the show is scripted.
A spokesperson told Metro last year: “As anyone who watches the show regularly would know, Love Island is a combination of reality and produced elements that are reflective of what’s happening in the villa, and is a fair and accurate representation of villa life.
It is absolutely untrue to suggest that Love Island is fake.
“It is absolutely untrue to suggest that Love Island is fake, staged or scripted.
“The opinions they have and the relationships formed are completely within the control of the Islanders themselves.”
But what have the Islanders said?
What have former Islanders said?
While bosses are keen to prove the show isn’t scripted, some Islanders have said otherwise.
Tyla Carr, who appeared on the series in 2017, once revealed the contestants are urged to discuss certain topics.
She said: “What viewers don’t see is there is always a producer on site; they don’t live in the villa with us but someone generally comes in every hour to have a chat.
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“They tell you what they want you to talk about, and who with. You have to tell the producers on site if you are planning to have an important chat or do something, so they make sure the microphones pick it up and the cameras get it.
“If you forget, they would call you in and ask you to film it again.”
Furthermore, Scott Thomas supported Tyla’s claims.
When asked about the show, he said: “If you had a good chat with someone in the villa, the producers would sometimes ask for you to have it again so they could film it properly or from a different angle.”
So, the conversations are still real – even if repeated for cameras.
Have Love Island scenes have been ‘staged’?
Meanwhile, some former contestants have opened up on specific “staged” scenes.
According to Molly-Mae Hague, she was told by producers to tell Anna Vakili about Anton Danyluk giving his number to a shop assistant in season five.
The scene led to drama between Anton and love interest Belle Hassan.
Molly-Mae told Closer: “Tommy [Fury] told me a little secret about Anton giving his number out to a shop assistant.
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“And when he told me that, one of the producers came up to me and said, ‘You need to tell Anna [Vakili] about that, make sure you tell Anna that that happened.'”
So again, nudging rather than inventing content.
Meanwhile, Leanne Amaning also claimed producers made her re-film her split with Mike Boateng on Love Island’s winter edition.
However, Alex and Olivia Bowen hit back at Leanne’s fakery claims and defended the show.
Olivia told Digital Spy: “Some people really attack the show when it doesn’t go their way but the show was nothing but good to us.”
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