A former Love Island winner has shared her thoughts on what needs to change on the show to prevent it from feeling 'weird' to watch, while also opening up about post-show anxiety. Cara De La Hoyde, who won the second series alongside her now-husband Nathan Massey, believes the show should introduce an age restriction of 21 and over, and bring back more explicit scenes.
Cara's Call for Change
Cara and Nathan were contestants on Love Island series two, which aired on ITV2 in 2016. At the time, Cara was 25 and Nathan was 27, but the youngest contestant that season was Emma Woodham, aged 19. The youngest ever Love Island contestant was Amelia Peters, an 18-year-old Casa Amor bombshell in 2017. Speaking to Zingo Bingo, Cara said: 'It wouldn't be a bad idea to make it over 21s. Love Island is a huge show and it's a big thing to do. There's a lot that comes after it. I also think it would be great to move the age to older. Sometimes I feel weird watching all these 21 year olds as a 36 year old!'
Currently, the youngest Islanders are Robyn Langton, Kavan Murphy, and Mica Harris, all aged 21. The last time a contestant under 21 appeared was in 2023, when 19-year-old Amber Wise and 20-year-old Kodie Murphy were on the show.
Bringing Back Raunchier Scenes
Cara also expressed a desire for the show to become 'raunchier' to increase drama. When asked what from series two should be brought back, she said: 'The smoking area and raunchier scenes.' However, she acknowledged that this is unlikely: 'I know they won't because they want to be seen as BAFTA-worthy television. But I'm telling you, bring it back and the drama will follow!'
Her series is widely regarded as one of the raunchiest and most unfiltered in Love Island history. Several cast members were shown in sexual situations, including Emma Woodham and her on-screen partner Terry Walsh. In a particularly controversial moment, Emma was told that sex on top of the covers would not be shown on TV, but the footage aired regardless. Another incident involved Zara Holland, who lost her Miss Great Britain crown after having sex with Alex Bowen in the hideaway.
Changes Since 2016
Cara noted that the lack of on-screen sex is not the only change in the decade since her appearance. She said: 'I was on the show ten years ago and 2016 was a very different time. That was the era of bleach blonde everything. It was the height of the WAG culture and the pinnacle of beauty was glamour.' She added: 'I didn't think I was the typical type for most men back then. I've got quite small boobs, and I wasn't that stereotypical Love Island-type girl that boys were expected to fancy at the time. But I went in and gave it a go.'
Cara and Nathan have largely avoided online trolling. 'Both me and Nathan have been lucky with trolling, as we've not had too much. I think we're both down to earth and we also don't let the negative stuff bother us,' she said.
Life After Love Island
Cara and Nathan won the show after being coupled up from the start. Although they briefly split after leaving the villa, they reconciled and now have two children, born in 2017 and 2020. The couple married in 2019. Cara's reflections come as Love Island continues to evolve, with producers aiming for a more family-friendly image while maintaining viewer interest.
