Love Island boss reveals contestants could be faced with their EXES in the villa as show brings dramatic twists for its sexiest season yet

Daily Mail​

4 days ago

A Love Island producer has revealed that this year's contestants could come face to face with their ex-partners in the villa.
The ITV2 dating show returns on June 9 and announced the full line-up joining the upcoming series this week, for the usual mix of love triangles, bedroom trysts and messy breakups.
Among this year's crop of hopefuls are a Declan Rice body double, a firebreather and a Maura Higgins lookalike, with the show promising to have 'more twists and turns than ever before' in honour of their 10-year anniversary
And the show's Creative Director has now revealed one of the surprises in store for this batch of Islanders, as he teased they could be confronted with some of their former flames as bombshells.
Speaking to The Sun, ITV's Mike Spencer-Hayter said: 'Do you know what I always say, the cast get released and then the ex's come forward. And that's how you get the bombshells.
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'They will have to go through the process, but we have already a pool of really really good bombshells lined up. There's some people in that mix that are really under the radar as well.
'The casting team have been working for quite a while now. Gone to lots of different events and been out and about looking for people and I think they've done a brilliant job. We always have those killer bombshells to come in.'
It comes after Mike revealed to the Mail that the first week of the new season will see 'something big' as they 'tear up the rule book' to liven up the hit show.
Last year the show had a shock entry when TOWIE favourite Joey Essex, 34, entered the villa, to very mixed results from fans.
Asked if they will be getting another former reality tv star or celebrity in as a contestant this year, Mike said something else will be a surprise.
'No former Love Islanders are coming in this year,' he said. Something big is coming in week one though. Not another reality star like Joey Essex.'
'We've got a big week one planned. It's not a celebrity, but totally new. It's even different this year the way islanders will couple up.
'You can't rest on people loving the show, we have to keep it exciting. Tear up the rule book a bit.'
Mike also revealed that bosses are hoping for potential throuples in the villa this year as install new furniture to help encourage bonking and create drama.
One of the new additions includes a trampoline bed that sits across the swimming pool, and the Love Island exec has insisted it has been tested for up to four people.
The secret hideaway - which includes a bed and hot tub - is now open 24 hours a day for those that aren't coupled up.
He told the Mail: 'There's a new trampoline bed, that would be good for throuples. It can take the weight of four, we've checked. It's all about keeping the show fresh and exciting. And that's what we've got.'
The TV executive also revealed ITV will broadcast intimate activity if and when it happens, after five years of them keeping the Islanders' romps off the air.
The early seasons of the show famously showed the contestants getting up to all sorts of naughty things in the villa, with stars seen getting close under the covers and even getting X-rated in the cupboard.
Mike explained that they've had to 'tear up the rule book' this year, after viewing figures have dwindled over the years, since the reality show became tamer.
He said: 'The hideaway is open for business for 24 hours all the time, as long as they don't come with their partner. We told the islanders last year they could but they kept forgetting they could come in here.
'We've seen the same things time and time again how and it's boring. We've got to move on. It felt static, and the show needs to feel fresh.
'People that come in, all do the same thing. Because they've all watched it time and time again. It became too formatted.
'We've got to push forward. All the twist and turns, we're going to give it all we've got to make it an exciting series.'
ITV bosses have also attempted to give the new villa and series a glam-up to avoid the show being boring.
In a bid to create further drama they have also shortened the walls of the iconic terrace, which is often used as a hideaway for bombshells looking to kiss another contestant in more private surroundings.
But Mike confirmed the days of hiding away from prying eyes is all over.
'The terrace walls are shorter and more see through now too. So you can see more up there. We just felt like it was too covered up. Extra gossip.'
Love Island has often come under fire for only casting ultra-thin singles who have the same body shapes 'year after year'.
And even though the contestants of the show are shacked up with each other for up to eight weeks, it's often been criticised for not showing people eating meals and that the absence might encourage eating disorders and unrealistic beauty standards.
Despite having their meals cooked for them by private chefs, ITV has previously confirmed the reason for not showing them eating is because mealtimes are considered downtime for the islanders and are not filmed due to technical reasons, like the sounds of eating with microphones.
But it can now be revealed that contestants this year will be seen eating in the villa for the first time.
'In this day and age, we need to be showing it,' said the Love Island boss. 'Viewers always ask us where and when the islanders eat lunch and dinner. Well this year you'll see it on camera now.'
Mike also said the reason comes as conversations are often heard amongst the islanders that make for good TV.
'There are chats that do happen whilst they eat,' he said. 'It might feature, it might not when it comes to the final edit, but there is a lot of whispering and there always has been.
'Sometimes it will affect how they might know information, because the viewer hasn't seen it. Now they will see it.'
NAME: Sophie Lee
AGE: 29
FROM: Manchester
OCCUPATION: Motivational Speaker and Author
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is fun, spontaneous, who has a lot of jokes and who is attentive. At the moment I'm only finding ones draped in red flags and 'do not cross' signs
IF YOU WERE THE CEO OF SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE? I'm the CEO of empowerment. I want women to feel beautiful and validated in themselves and feel their best self.
NAME: Dejon Noel Williams
AGE: 26
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Semi-pro footballer and personal trainer
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone who is beautiful on the inside and out, looks after themselves and is healthy
CLAIM TO FAME? My dad being an ex-professional footballer. I've met all kinds of famous people through him. When I was younger it was weird because he was just my dad, but we'd go to a game and fans were asking for photos. I've met David Beckham, he was really nice.
NAME: Megan Moore
AGE: 25
FROM: Southampton
OCCUPATION: Payroll specialist
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? I'd like to meet someone who is tall, with a nice tan, nice eyes and a nice smile. He needs to have a good fashion sense and a really good, funny personality that I can get on with
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Bankrupt, right now. But we're going to make sales and get on that corporate ladder and be booming. Profits, profits, profits!
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AGE: 22
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WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A girl who is very ambitious, with a big personality, caring, but also someone that doesn't take themselves too seriously. I don't know if that's asking for too much, but I want a bit of everything. I haven't got a specific type in terms of looks, though.
WHAT WOULD YOU BE CEO OF? Taking hours to do my hair
NAME: Alima Gagio
AGE: 23
FROM: Glasgow
OCCUPATION: Wealth Management Client Services Executive
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A tall man with a handsome face. You know when you just look at a guy and they have that Disney prince look to them? That's it
WOULD MAYA HIER YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I think she'd hire me because I'm a good flirt. I always ask guys on a night out to guess which country I'm originally from. If they get it right, they can get my number.
But they never guess correctly so it works really well if you don't want to give a guy your number. I'm originally from Guinea Bissau. If they're close and I really fancy them, I'll give them my number anyway.
NAME: Ben Holbrough
AGE: 23
FROM: Gloucester
OCCUPATION: Private Hire Taxi driver
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? A tall man with a handsome face. You know when you just look at a guy and they have that Disney prince look to them? That's it
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Bankrupt. I'd have been out of business a long time ago. That's exactly why I'm here.
NAME: Helena Ford
AGE: 29
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Cabin Crew
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Somebody funny or Northern. I feel like Northern people have much more banter than Southerners. If you look through my previous dating history, you'll see I clearly go for personality. You can pretty much laugh me into bed.
WOULD MAYA HIER YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I would say hire but then quickly fire soon after. It would only be a temporary contract.
NAME: Kyle Ashman
AGE: 23
FROM: Stafford
OCCUPATION: Water operative
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? Someone that's fun, confident and just themselves.
WOULD MAYA HIER YOU FOR YOUR FLIRTING SKILLS? I'd say I'd be hired. I just go with it, find something to compliment a girl on and go from there.
NAME: Megan Moore
AGE: 24
FROM: Dublin
OCCUPATION: Musical theatre performer and energy broker
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
Someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously and has a sense of humour. If they're not bad looking, that's always a plus.
I love a boy that's a bit pasty, like Timothé e Chalamet. I don't mind scrawny, or a bit of a 'dad bod'. I'm 5ft1 so any height really.
CLAIM TO FAME? Me and my friends made a Derry Girls TikTok for Halloween and it went a bit viral around Brighton.
Sometimes I get stopped in the street about it. I've also done Panto.
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AGE: 26
FROM: London
OCCUPATION: Construction Project Manager
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
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AGE: 26
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HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE? Booming… but they're all frogs. It's a busy love life but I've not found 'the husband'. I'm looking for 'the one'. I'm looking for the ring.
NAME: Harry Cooksley
AGE: 30
FROM: Guildford
OCCUPATION: Gold trader, semi-professional footballer and model
WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? The girl next door that makes me laugh and can hold eye contact with me. I don't think I'd go for the most obvious girl, I like a real sweet girl.
CLAIM TO FAME? I'm the body double for Declan Rice. So when he does a shoot, any body close ups will actually be me. You'll never see my face, but you'll see my shoulder or chest, that kind of thing.