Caroline Flack has defended Love Island for casting contestants who already have showbiz connections.
After the success of Dani Dyer last year, producers have signed up more names who have famous relatives for the new series, with the brothers of Strictly pro dancer AJ Pritchard and boxer Tyson Fury among those entering the villa.
While some have criticised bosses for casting already semi-famous names, the show’s host Caroline has insisted it makes no difference to the action that unfolds.
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Love Island host Caroline Flack
ITV
Speaking to HuffPost UK and other journalists in Mallorca - the home of Love Island - she said: “It’s headlines basically isn’t it? That’s headlines for the show but when they go in there, it doesn’t matter.
“It doesn’t matter who you are, love is love. No one else feels any differently to anyone else just because your someone’s brother or someone’s sister. We don’t look at them differently because Curtis has got a brother on Strictly Come Dancing.
“As soon as you get in that house and it becomes about the relationships, it’s not the people, it’s the relationships we’re interested in. It never is the people.
“Maybe when they come out after but when they’re in there, it’s the relationships,” she added.
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Curtis Pritchard is the brother of Strictly's AJ and a pro dancer on Ireland's Dancing With The Stars
ITV
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Tommy Fury is the brother of boxer Tyson and a sportsman in his own right
ITV
Praising the diverse mix of characters lined-up for the new series, Caroline continued: “You’ve got a scientist, pharmacist, rugby player and a fire fighter - they’re all really interesting jobs. It does feel different this year but it has to be - it has to change every year. It can’t be the same cast.
“It doesn’t mean there any better than anyone else before, it’s just different. It’s nice to get different people from different walks of life.”
Caroline also insisted new series of Love Island will not be overshadowed by the debate surrounding the show’s aftercare processes.
ITV announced changes to its aftercare after being criticised in the wake of Mike Thalassitis' death
Dave J Hogan via Getty Images
Asked it the show will seek to overcome the negative headlines, Caroline said: “The show will always be positive. No one has to put any effort to make it more positive. We’ve stood for positivity from day one. We’re a show about love. and there’s nothing more positive in the world than love.
“We don’t create any negativity. We’ve never been about the drama, we’ve never been about the fights - we’ve never had a fight.
“The bits people love in the show are the bits where people fall in love, the declarations. They’re the bits that give people goose bumps, they’re the bits we remember. It’s the nice bits.
“When it starts again this season, that’s what people will remember it’s about, not what happens afterwards. Our show is about this.”
Love Island begins on Monday at 9pm on ITV2.
Love Island Contestants 2019
Yewande Biala(01 of12)
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Age: 23
From: Dublin, Ireland
Occupation: Scientist
She says: "I think people may be surprised. Every time I say that I’m a scientist, people are shocked. I think there are loads of intelligent people on reality television." (credit:ITV)
Lucie Donlan(02 of12)
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Age: 21
From: Newquay
Occupation: Surfer
She says: "I stand out and I’m different to the usual girls that might go on the show. I’m more into sports as well as being glam. I can do both, which makes me stand out compared to other girls. I’m more of a guy’s girl than a girl’s girl."
Claim to fame: "The last guy I was with was Charlie [Frederick] from last year’s Love Island. We got together a few weeks after he came out of the villa." (credit:ITV)
Amber Gill(03 of12)
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Age: 21
From: Newcastle
Occupation: Beauty therapist
She says: "I like tall guys who are muscly and athletic, I like people that go to the gym because that’s what I like. I want someone who is funny and that I can have fun with and doesn’t take themselves too seriously because I am daft."
Claim to fame: "I know a few of the former Islanders from Newcastle, like Adam Collard and Ellie Brown. Everyone knows everyone in Newcastle!" (credit:ITV)
Amy Hart(04 of12)
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Age: 26
From: Worthing, Sussex
Occupation: Cabin crew
She says: "I I have weird celebrity crushes like David Walliams and Simon Cowell. You’d never go there obviously but there is something about them."
Claim to fame: "I went on a night out once and Liam from One Direction was there. We were in the VIP bit and so was he and he walked past me and I smiled and he said ‘Hey, you alright? What’s your name?’ He told us to come and sit in his booth and we had a picture together." (credit:ITV)
Anna Vakili(05 of12)
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Age: 28
From: London
Occupation: Pharmacist
She says: "I’m difficult to handle, I’m a drama queen and I overreact. I’m clumsy and I’m a messy eater. I spill my drinks all the time. I’m stubborn as well, if I’m in a mood then it’s really hard to get me out of the mood."
Claim to fame: "I ended up on the Iranian News earlier this year when my sister and I were away in Qatar with two Iranian footballers who have a huge following. Suddenly my followers went up by 20,000 and I started being tagged in fan pages!" (credit:ITV)
Anton Danyluk(06 of12)
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Age: 24
From: Airdrie, Scotland
Occupation: Gym owner
He says: "That’s a medical condition that I have… a wandering eye! I’ve never really been loyal in any of my relationships. My last relationship, I actually got caught cheating for the first time in my life and it changed everything for me. I saw how much it hurt her and what it did to her. So, for me going to into Love Island, it’s going to be the biggest test of my life." (credit:ITV)
Tommy Fury(07 of12)
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Age: 20
From: Manchester
Occupation: Boxer
He says: "I won’t be afraid to go and have a splash about in the pool, I’ll mingle with people and find out about everyone because at the end of the day I’ll be living with these people for a long time so it’ll be nice to see if I have a bromance in there, along with a relationship. It’s nice to be a bit standoutish."
Claim to fame: "It’s probably my brother, Tyson, but I’m my own man and I’ve said it throughout my whole boxing career. I don’t want to be labelled as his little brother, I’m my own man and I’m doing the best that I can do in life and that’s all I’m setting out to achieve." (credit:ITV)
Joe Garratt(08 of12)
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Age: 22
From: South east London
Occupation: Catering company owner
He says: "I’ve only had one girlfriend. I knew her locally but I think we started chatting through social media. I meet people in bars, that’s my go-to."
Claim to fame: "I used to play semi-professional rugby." (credit:ITV)
Michael Griffiths(09 of12)
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Age: 27
From: Liverpool
Occupation: Firefighter
He says: "I get complimented on my smile a lot. People seem to be obsessed with my lips. I’d rate myself ten out of ten, I would have said nine but I’m a hero so it bumps it up." (credit:ITV)
Sherif Lanre(10 of12)
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Age: 20
From: London
Occupation: Chef and semi-pro rugby player
He says: "I’m upbeat and cheeky and outrageous with my own friends so hopefully that continues in the villa. I’m always on a mission to make people laugh.That’ll be of value in there." (credit:HuffPost UK)
Callum MacLeod(11 of12)
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Age: 28
From: South Wales
Occupation: Aircraft engineer
He says: "I would say my best feature is my tan - give me an hour and I am golden." (credit:ITV)
Curtis Pritchard(12 of12)
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Age: 23
From: Shropshire
Occupation: Ballroom and Latin dancer
He says: "I have lived a very sheltered life because of my dancing, I’ve not done a lot of going out partying, going on dates because I haven’t had time to. Being truthful I’ve probably been on less than ten dates, maybe five dates. I have never met anyone online, I’ve never used a dating app."
Claim to fame: "I would say my claim to fame is that I’m on Dancing with the Stars Ireland and AJ Pritchard from Strictly Come Dancing is my brother." (credit:ITV)