It's good to see parents on Love Island this year – but why are we treating mums differently to dads?

The Sun

a day ago

THIS year, Love Island, both in the UK and US, has done something a little different to its normal proceedings, and recruited people with children to star on the show.
On the US version, Huda is a mum to a little girl, and over in the UK we're set to meet new bombshell Shea, who has a son from a previous relationship.
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While both are parents, there is a stark difference between them - and that, sadly, is the way their news has been received.
Before the US season got under way, internet detectives had discovered Huda was a mum, and they immediately feared for her.
'Why do I feel like the guys are gonna be d**** about this,' wrote one fan, while another responded, saying: 'It wouldn't be a surprise unfortunately.'
The general consensus amongst Love Island fans being that Huda's revelation would leave the men running for the hills, instead of treating her the same as any other woman on the show. Then fears became reality, as Huda decided to tell love interest Jeremiah that she had a four-year-old daughter.
'I wanted to be honest with you,' she began, adding: 'I really trusted and liked you, and I am a mum.'
Jeremiah then throws his head back and fails to hide his shocked reaction: 'You're a mum, and you're 24?' he says, weirdly emphasising her age, as if women of 24 shouldn't have children.
Huda is then forced to reassure him that she only has the one child, and Jeremiah tells her he can't look at her.
The scene left US Love Island fans horrified, with many telling Huda to 'run,' as well as calling out Jeremiah for his 'red flag' behaviour. Others defended him, saying it must've come as a big shock, and that taking on a child is a huge responsibility, the latter of which no-one is denying.
New Love Island bombshell reveals he's a dad as he sets his sights on breaking up villa couples
But it's just a massive shame that Huda's first attempt at telling someone she likes on the show that she's a mum, is met with such shock and, dare I say it, disgust.
Fans noticed that Huda was visibly afraid to tell him the news, struggling to get her words out, almost as if she was worried that being a mum would push him away.
She even ended up saying things like she's 'not ashamed of it at all,' and was 'worried about how he'd react.'
Huda took her time telling Jeremiah that she was a mum, four episodes in fact, because of the reaction she'd had from other men in the past.
Love Island 2025 full lineup
Harry Cooksley: A 29-year-old footballer with charm to spare.
Sophie Lee: A model and motivational speaker who has overcome adversity after suffering life-changing burns in an accident.
Shakira Khan: A 22-year-old Manchester-based model, ready to turn heads.
Blu Chegini: A boxer with striking model looks, seeking love in the villa.
Megan Moore: A payroll specialist from Southampton, looking for someone tall and stylish.
Alima Gagigo: International business graduate with brains and ambition.
Tommy Bradley: A gym enthusiast with a big heart.
Helena Ford: A Londoner with celebrity connections, aiming to find someone funny or Northern.
Ben Hullbra: A model ready to make waves.
Megan Clarke: An Irish actress already drawing comparisons to Maura Higgins.
Dejon Noel-Williams: A personal trainer and semi-pro footballer, following in his footballer father's footsteps.
Aaron Buckett: A towering 6'5' personal trainer.
Conor Phillips: A 25-year-old Irish rugby pro
Antonia Laites: Love Island's first bombshell revealed as sexy Las Vegas pool party waitress.
Rose Selway: Beauty salon owner from Devon who runs 12 aesthetics clinics, boasting a famous clientele including former Love Islanders
Departures:
Kyle Ashman: Axed after an arrest over a machete attack emerged. He was released with no further action taken and denies any wrongdoing.
And yet, when UK Love Island bombshell Shea was revealed as having a son, the reaction couldn't have been better.
Beneath TikTok videos of Shea being a dad, fans said how 'cute' it was, and praised the star for 'doing the show for his baby.'
The comments section on X, TikTok and Instagram has been flooded with positivity about Shea being a dad, especially as he says in his pre-Love Island interview: 'Also, I have a little boy, so I'll be taking him into consideration with who I couple up with, too.'
The news has been so well-received, with fans praising the star for thinking about his son when it comes to picking which girl he'll couple up with.
But for Huda? Just negativity, fears and a reaction that's enough to put anyone off telling someone that they're a mum ever again.
As a mum myself, it makes me so sad to see. Why is there such an obvious split between the way both Huda and Shea have been treated when revealing that they're parents?
It's a great move from Love Island to have parents on the show, and really widens the representation. But we've still got a way to go in changing perception when it comes to single mums looking for love.
Jeremiah isn't the sole problem, he's well within his right to be surprised, as the revelation had been kept a secret from him for some time.
But he is a part of the wider issue of women being afraid to admit they've got kids while dating. You might not be ready to be a step-dad and that's fair enough, but is there a world where people learn to react in a manner that doesn't portray pure horror? A world where people consider the feelings of the person telling them, and not just themselves.
Maybe it's wishful thinking, but what I will say is seeing parents on Love Island really does highlight that we have a huge way to go in the way that the world views mums looking for love versus dads. We need to do better. Much better.
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