Watching Sam Workman on the new series of Love Island has been emotional for me because I instantly recognised what might be happening, writes Georgia Meacham, a deaf model and actress who was approached for the show multiple times but turned it down.
After just two episodes, there was much discussion online and by islanders describing Sam as “quiet”, “reserved” and someone who “doesn’t get involved in group conversations”. Those perceptions almost contributed to him being the first dumped from the villa. As someone who has worn two hearing aids my entire life, my immediate reaction isn’t that Sam lacks confidence or personality, but that he looks like he may be struggling to follow most of the conversations around him.
The Love Island villa is probably one of the toughest environments imaginable for a hard of hearing person. There are conversations happening across the garden, multiple people speaking at once, constant background noise, large group discussions and late-night chats when it becomes harder to see people’s faces and lip-read. I’d probably come across much quieter too in that environment, despite not being a quiet person at all.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that hearing aids “fix” hearing loss. They don’t. They amplify sound, including background noise, which can make busy environments actually harder to navigate than without. What also concerned me was seeing one islander appear genuinely surprised, replying “Really?” when Sam mentioned he was deaf. It made me wonder whether enough Deaf awareness and communication guidance had been provided to those around him.
Shortly afterwards, Sam’s cousin reached out to thank me for speaking up. She told me the family were incredibly proud of him, but that watching the show had been an anxious experience because they had worried about exactly the same things I had raised on my platform. Watching Sam’s experience unfold feels bittersweet because, in many ways, it’s exactly what I feared might have happened to me if I had ever said yes myself.
Reality television has made positive strides in representation, but true inclusion means ensuring contestants have the support they need to participate fully. That includes educating cast members about Deaf awareness, considering communication needs throughout filming and working closely with deaf contestants to ensure they can thrive, not just survive, in the villa.
