Love Island: Eyal Booker describes ITV's support as ‘incredible’ ahead of fifth series

Production company faces criticism of duty of care following deaths of previous contestants

Former Love Island star Eyal Booker described ITV’s support as “incredible”, following criticism of the channel’s duty of care towards islanders.

Ahead of the fifth series of the show, which launched on Monday, ITV producers faced criticism of the mental health support provided to islanders following the deaths of former contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Graddon.

Speaking on Sky News on Friday, Booker said he has felt completely supported from producers since leaving the show.

“From going in they were so supportive,” he said. “We had so many different tests to make sure we were suitable and fit to the enter the villa.

“Then once we were in the villa, although it was a reality show, if we ever felt we needed to talk to somebody, we could step outside and we could talk to producers and people who are professionals in what they do.”

Before the beginning of this year’s season, the model said that producers reached out to previous contestants to remind them that “there was always an open door of communication”.

“We always had the opportunity to speak to them and yeah, they actually all reached out to speak to us throughout leaving the island and once this show started,” he added.

Last month, ITV announced all contestants of this year's series of Love Island will receive a minimum of eight therapy sessions after the show has ended.

The production company outlined several new "duty of care processes" ahead of the show’s new season, one of which is to provide participants with "enhanced psychological support".

"Proactive contact with Islanders" will continue for up to 14 months after the show has ended, an ITV spokesperson explained.

Following Thalassitis’s death in March, several of the show’s former contestants, including Dom Lever and Malin Andersson, urged ITV to provide better mental health support for islanders.

When questioned whether he believed this year’s contestants were getting equal amounts of airtime on the programme, Booker added: “At this stage, yeah. You’ve got to follow the gripping stories and it is Love Island.”

“It is a dating show at the end of the day so we’re tuning in to watch people date.”

Several Twitter users have criticised the show’s producers for not giving contestant Yewande Biala as much airtime as her competitors this week.

The criticism came after former contestant Marcel Somerville highlighted the alleged racial bias present in the show.

During the first episode of the fifth season, new Islanders Yewande Biala, Sherif Lanre and Michael Griffiths were sidelined by their fellow contestants during the first coupling up of the series.

The couple selection process seemingly sparked "flashbacks" for Somerville from his own time in the competition in 2017, when none of the female contestants stepped forward to indicate that they were interested in him.

"This is mad!!!! #LoveIsland flashbacks! Black guy, black girl and mixed race guy all left unpicked. Mad!!!" the former member of Blazin' Squad tweeted.

Somerville's tweet has been liked 3,000 times, with several Love Island viewers making the same observation as the rapper.