Love Island bosses are finally said to be launching a show for the over 40s – so does that mean we’ll finally get some Islanders we can relate to?!
It’s certainly been a long time coming.
This year, much like every single other year, there’s not an ounce of fat between the Islanders.
Not only that, but none of them are over 30.
Last year there were reports ITV was planning its “most diverse” Love Island cast yet.
If by diverse they meant blondes, brunettes and red heads in their twenties, then ITV cracked it.
But there’s certainly never been a body heading into that show that’s representative of mine – or that of millions of other Brits who tune in.
Until now, it seems.
Hey Love Island, where are all the fat people?
Are fat people not worthy of love? Or are we not glamorous enough to appear on telly in swimwear?
Are we in some way not as good as our slim counterparts? Would our jiggles and lumps and bumps make people turn off?
Because intentional or not, that’s the message I’ve received loud and clear every single year I’ve watched Love Island.
When it comes to the guys, it’s wall-to-wall six-packs, muscles and tattoo sleeves.
Where are the dad bods?! No normal man looks like that!
Looking at the cast of women who have signed up, there’s no doubt they’re beautiful, but they look like clones of years gone by.
Hair extensions, fake tan, fake boobs.
Young impressionable girls watch this show, ITV should be championing normal bodies – all bodies.
It’s dangerous and irresponsible not to show a cross section of Britain – in terms of shape, size, colour, sexual persuasion, age and intellect.
I mean, Ekin-Su is basically branded the granny of the villa and she’s 28!
Let the Love Island viewers decide
I’m well aware that being overweight isn’t healthy, but I don’t think it would hurt to put a size 16 woman in there, mix things up with someone – shock horror – over 30, and see how she does.
Let the viewers decide when they get to know them as a person – if you’ve never been fat and you’re not the other side of 40, you won’t realise that so many people don’t even give you a second glance, let alone a chance to get to know the real you.
And it’s what I feel ITV has done to me with the Love Island line-up – year after bloody year.
It’s heartbreaking and a disappointing wasted opportunity – think of the message we could’ve been sending out to teenagers of today.
“Getting older and putting on a little bit of timber really isn’t that bad.”
Except, looking at the line-ups from years gone by, it appears that actually it is.
Where are the plus-size Brits looking for love?
It seems they’re not worthy of finding it – at least not on national telly.
This year’s series has done nothing but perpetuate the myth that fat people are less deserving of love and opportunities than their slimmer counterparts.
And that absolutely breaks my heart.
Love Island for the over 40s is coming (I hope!)
However, the latest news – if true – appears to suggest ITV has listened to the masses and taken note of the fact that people over 40 deserve to find love too.
According to The Sun, a new series of a Love Island-style show for the over 40s will hit our screens next year.
The show will reportedly see kids pairing their mums and dads up behind the scenes.
So bring on the DILFs and MILFs!
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A source claims: “Times change and the current generation in their 40s and 50s still care about how they look, are fit and healthy, into fashion and are ready to let their hair down.
“This show will give those who settled down young a second chance at love while they still feel in their prime.
“And, let’s face it, they know their minds, will be capable of intelligent conversation and are likely to be much more adventurous – all ingredients regular Love Island sometimes lacks.”
Of course, there’s no guarantees that anyone who looks like me (for that, read overweight and over the hill) will be signed up.
But there’s a damn sight more chance of me relating to one of the new contestants than 19-year-old nubile blondes.
Bring. It. On.
Although if you do have to have kids to sign up, then that opens up a whole different argument for me…
But I’ll save that rant for another day!
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