Sue Cleaver sinks claws into 'dangerous' Virgin Island - sharing concern for 'vulnerable and unsure' stars dealing with 'sexual power dynamic'
Sue Cleaver shared her concern for the 'vulnerable and unsure' stars of Virgin Island as she sunk her claws into the new Channel 4 show on Tuesday's instalment of Loose Women.
Virgin Island, which hit our screens on Monday 12th May, follows the lives of 12 adults - have had never had sex - travel to an island in Croatia to explore intimacy with others.
The new programme has got a lot of people talking, including the Loose Women panel, as they discussed the concept of the show's surrogate therapists.
Virgin Island has two sex surrogate partners called Andre Lazarus and Kat Slade and they work with the sex therapists on the programme to take a more physical approach than the therapists, who are there to talk to the candidates about their emotions.
While discussing the programme while on the panel, Sue told Ruth Langsford, Coleen Nolan and Sunetra Sarker: 'Ruth, do you want to be desirable, having watched that programme last night and you had sex therapists, I don't know what qualifications they have, and they have, I assume would be sex surrogates who actually are physical with you, help you lose that said virginity, I mean how ethical is that?'
Anchor Ruth pointed out that Channel 4 have said that the production follows strict safe guarding protocols and all intimacy work was overseen by a credited expert with experience in therapeutic and trauma informed practices.
Sue continued: 'It's a very grey area when you got involved in that.'
Sunetra added: 'Some of those people may never experience human touch because they've been bullied, they don't see themselves as being attractive to the opposite sex...'
Sue replied: 'Exactly. You've got vulnerable people there, there is a power dynamic and a power exchange. I just think that is quite dangerous.'
Sunetra pointed out: 'Everyone is consenting though.'
Sue said: 'Are they? When someone is that vulnerable, that unsure of themselves, and frightened and have fear around sex, is it a good way of doing it on Channel 4?'
The Coronation Street star confessed that she finds it 'quite dangerous.'
She added: 'When somebody is that vulnerable and that unsure, with fear around sex, is it a good way of doing it on Channel 4?'
A Channel 4 Spokesperson said: 'Duty of care is of paramount importance and the safety and wellbeing of cast is our utmost priority at all times, throughout production and beyond.
'The production followed strict safeguarding protocols including full psychological screening, consent-based filming at every stage and access to support during and after filming – and remains ongoing.
'All intimacy work was overseen by accredited experts with experience in therapeutic and trauma-informed practices and all contributors left the Island feeling they had benefited from the experience.'
Surrogate Kat Slade is a certified surrogate and somatic practitioner, while Andre Lazarus is a trained surrogate partner and certified Intimacy, Sex and Relationship Practitioner.
The sex surrogates are prepared to have intercourse with those in treatment to help with problems that talking therapy cannot.
Meanwhile presenter Celia Walden also shared her thoughts on the surrogates on Tuesday's episode of Lorraine.
Chatting to step-in host Christine Lampard and Tyler West, she said: 'You can actually feel your shoulders hunching. It's a real through-parted-fingers job because they have these sex surrogates who are basically the teachers, like a sex coach, who as far as I can tell... it's the opposite of conventional therapy.
'They're allowed to go all the way. I don't know how far the show is going to go but they will teach you to become comfortable with your body and start touching you. I found it just too cringeworthy to watch.'
Tyler added: 'I can't imagine sitting there and your therapist just starts kissing your neck. I just don't think that's going to fix the situation!'
It comes just hours after two stars of the show defended the use of 'sex surrogates' while during an appearance on ITV's This Morning.
Admin worker Jason, 25, and receptionist Taylor, 29, appeared on the iconic sofa to chat to Cat Deeley, 48, and Ben Shephard, 50, about their experience at the retreat.
The first episode saw the contributors open up about their feelings and why they haven't been able to be intimate with anyone, and one star called Zac, 28, managed to get up close and personal with one of the sex surrogates called Kat Slade.
Ben admitted that he was fascinated with the surrogates and asked them to explain the dynamics.
Jason explained: 'I didn't have a surrogate. But the surrogates, Kat and Andre, are there for the more hands on, the nitty gritty. The physicality of it.
'You'll definitely see what happens with that...'
Ben asked: 'If you are prepared and confident enough to go forward with something more physical... they are there to enable you to do that?'
Jason replied: 'Yes. They are there to guide you through it and help you do it.'
Ben pointed out: 'And help you so you know what you're doing... you can feel safe, you can feel confident.
'That's an extraordinary job, isn't it?'
Taylor explained: 'It's better than if you're in a situation where you're going home and going to have to do this with a stranger, they are in a place where they are able to guide you through it, keep you safe, keep you calm, take you in a really therapeutic place.
'It's not like hooking up with somebody on a night out. It's therapy.
'It's all about taking you through the steps of intimacy and getting you there.'
Those watching at home couldn't believe the concept of the show.
One said on X: 'Are people really that desperate to get on TV? #virginisland #thismorning.'
'Honestly, who commissions this stuff?! #thismorning.'
'Another f**kin reality show #thismorning.'
It comes after sex therapists Danielle and Celeste defended the use of surrogates in an exclusive chat with MailOnline.
During the programme, all of the 12 virgins achieve a level of intimacy with either a surrogate or a coach during the course.
Celeste describes the relationship between the client and surrogate as 'authentic' and shared how the dynamic can reflect what would happen in a 'real relationships', including the possibility of 'performance problems' from either the surrogate or client.
'It is really an authentic relationship,' she explained. 'So one thing that can happen in a relationship is that someone has performance problems, and so they would just communicate about it and say, oh, you know, something's not working here. Let's take a break. Let's try again.'
The sexologist added: 'That authenticity is what actually prepares people to have real relationships out in the world.
'So it's not just like trying to force something and a lot of times surrogates do work with people who have pretty significant dysfunctions, and so they need to work with those kinds of things, both in their clients and if it comes up in themselves as well.'
There's a 'triadic relationship' between the client, surrogate and a separate therapist to help tackle issues, including if the client develops feelings.
Celeste explained: 'They have the therapist built into the relationship, because if feelings become developed, the therapist is available to talk the client through whatever feelings that they have around it.'
She added: 'The therapist is there to keep that the container and the boundaries.'
Danielle expressed that on the show, the boundaries in the relationship were clear between the contributors and surrogates.
'They felt like, 'Okay, this is a therapeutic modality that's going to help me grow', and that's how it was set up for them,' the expert shared.
'So I don't feel there was even one moment that people got confused around.'
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