A recent episode of ITV's Love Island has prompted 4,330 complaints to regulator Ofcom, a record for the current series. The majority of viewers said a postcard sent to female contestants during Casa Amor week, which appeared to show partners cheating, was misleading and caused unnecessary distress.
The episode aired on 28 July, and the complaints centred on the impact of the Casa Amor postcard. The twist, a staple of the show, promises high drama as islanders receive evidence of supposed transgressions. However, the images frequently lack context, prompting contestants to act rashly under false pretences.
The 28 July episode attracted four times the previous highest number of complaints for a single episode this series. Subsequent episodes also drew complaints, including 103 on 29 July, 699 on 30 July, and 117 on 1 August, many citing manipulation of contestants such as Faye Winter and Millie Court.
Ofcom said it was assessing whether to launch an investigation. The controversy comes amid increased scrutiny of the impact of fame on contestants' mental health and the aftercare offered. ITV has introduced revised duty of care protocols, including training on handling social media negativity.
