Love Island viewers call out ITV show’s lack of diversity among contestants

ITV dating show has long been criticised for its homogeneous casting

Love Island 2024 fans have called out the show’s lack of diversity after casting just one Black female contestant to date.

The dating show has long been criticised for its homogeneous casting. In 2023, fans praised seven out of the 12 contestants being from non-white backgrounds – but this year’s cast so far has seen a drastic drop in diversity standards.

Viewers claimed “all of the white girls” on the show “look identical” and wrote on X/Twitter that Ngulube being the only Back woman on the show “looks so odd”.

“Mimii needs another Black girl in there asap,” one concerned fan wrote, while another concluded Ngulube “is not vibing” with the other women on the show “at all”.

“Production needs to bring Mimii a Black sis asap,” one viewer stated, while another raised concerns that Ngulube looked “so left out”.

Former islander Rachel Finni, who was on series seven of the show, has been vocal about the show’s treatment of its Black contestants.

“It happens every season,” she told Grazia of producers repeatedly casting one Black woman and one Black man in the original cast for the majority of Love Island seasons.

“It’s so structured… You’ll get one Black guy and girl in during Casa Amor and if you’re lucky a few mixed-race people thrown in as bombshells.

She added: “It’s not diverse enough and it adds to the perception that we’re tokens. We’re not put in there because we’re desirable.”

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Mimii Ngulube is the only black woman in the original ‘Love Island’ contestant line up for 2024 (ITV)

In February, 2023 runner-up Whitney Adebayo made a TikTok captioned: “Pov: you’re a Black girl on reality TV” alongside a clip of her repeatedly getting cut off as she tries to speak.

That same month, Love Island: All Stars contestant Kaz Kamwi’s dumping from the villa saw some fans accuse the series of racism, and claim that producers made no effort to cast someone who would make a suitable match for her.

“Kaz never stood a chance. They never brought in someone for her. This show couldn’t be any more racist,” one viewer commented.

Others suggested racial dynamics were at play in how Kaz “became a therapist” for other contestants.

“The producers this season are truly wicked, y’all brought Kaz on for what?” one comment read.

“To be the bff/therapist for the white girls? Y’all clearly had no intention of bringing in someone for her. Truly shameful.”

The Independent has approached ITV for comment.