ITV has pledged to increase the level of support and advice it provides to Love Island contestants, as it seeks to protect one of its most valuable programmes from the backlash against reality TV following the death of a participant on The Jeremy Kyle Show.
The hit programme featuring young singles partnering up in a Mediterranean villa has become an annual cash-cow for the commercial broadcaster, as one of the few shows on British screens that can convince young audiences to watch traditional television in substantial numbers.
However, Love Island’s reputation took a hit after two former contestants killed themselves after becoming famous as a result on their appearances on the show. Ahead of the show’s return on 3 June, ITV has pledged to offer enhanced psychological support, hold more detailed conversations with potential contestants about the impact the show will have on their lives, and an increase the aftercare package to help them adjust to being overnight celebrities.
There will also be “bespoke training for all Islanders on social media and financial management”, with some at ITV believing the most damaging impact on contestants can be adjusting to having millions of followers on Instagram and dealing with agents pushing them to exploit their new-found fame.
Potential contestants will now be required to undergo pre-filming assessments by an independent doctor, psychological consultant and allow the production crew to discuss their medical history with their personal GP. They will also be given detailed explanations of the implications, “both positive and negative”, of taking part in the series and urged to discuss the impact of fame with their families.
Staff will also be trained in mental health first aid, while contestants will be required to undergo at least eight therapy sessions after leaving the show, with support continuing for a minimum of 14 months.
Some of the proposals had already been put in place before The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled, including hiring BT’s former chief medical officer Dr Paul Litchfield to advise on its procedures following last year’s programme.
Litchfield, previously the independent reviewer of the government’s ‘fitness to work’ tests for benefits claimants, said Love Island’s procedures “show a degree of diligence that demonstrates the seriousness with which this is taken by the production team”.
The House of Commons DCMS select committee has already launched an inquiry into the wider reality TV industry as a result of the death of Jeremy Kyle participant Steve Dymond, who died shortly after failing a lie detector on the show. Committee members have already been inundated with written testimony from former reality TV show participants, with MPs having to decide whether to call any of them to give evidence in parliament.
ITV is negotiating over which executives should face the committee, with the management team needing to contain the crisis in the face of a share price that has slid 20% in the last month.
On Tuesday, the Ofcom boss, Sharon White, said her regulator was examining the use of lie detectors on reality TV programmes. Polygraph tests were a key part of The Jeremy Kyle Show and have been used by Love Island, despite concerns over their accuracy.
