Love Island kicked off last night (June 5) with a new twist for how the Islanders are coupled up, but it ended up launching a race row among ITV viewers.
In a new twist, Love Island fans were encouraged to vote for who they think should be coupled up on the show’s app before the first episode began. But the public vote caused controversy among viewers as they complained about how the couples were matched up.
Love Island is already embroiled in a race row as ITV viewers complain
Among the Love Island 2023 cast are a soap star’s daughter, a Tiktoker and a semi-professional footballer. And with the power to couple them up, the public matched Jess Harding and George Fensom, Molly Marsh and Mitchel Taylor, Catherine Agbaje and Andre Furtado, Ruchee Gurung and Mehdi Edno, and Ella Thomas and Tyrique Hyde.
But as the couples stood in their pairs, the match-making choices caused a stir on Twitter. One person wrote: “Soooo the public decided let’s put the four white people together, two black together, two mixed race together and then the Asian and French together….. I don’t know why I’m surprised.” A second viewer added: “The UK public matching the couples by their skin tones is not surprising at all.”
Why does the voting of couples feel like the UK public is so racist?
A third fan complained: “The British public love putting all the same races together.” A fourth person added: “Why does the voting of couples feel like the UK public is so racist?”
A bombshell has entered the villa already
The British public’s matchmaking skills might not be up to scratch as two of the couples failed to feel the sparks. Ruchee and Medhi were failing to feel the love, as were Jess and George.
When host Maya Jama asked if anyone wanted to swap out of their couples, both Ruchee and Jess stepped away. Jess admitted she wasn’t “feeling a connection” with George. Ruchee added she wasn’t attracted to Medhi. There will be even more drama ahead as Maya announced a new bombshell, Zachariah. The 25-year-old personal trainer is sure to raise tensions as two girls aren’t feeling their current pair…
Read more: Love Island launches with ‘never-before-seen twist’ amid ‘bored’ viewers’ complaints
Do you agree with these viewers? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think.