Love Island will not face investigation over the inclusion of Ollie Williams on this year’s line-up, the TV watchdog has confirmed.
Nearly 600 complaints were made to the regulator earlier this month, following the emergence of pictures showing Ollie posing with dead animals. An online petition calling for his removal also gained 38,000 signatures.
Ollie subsequently quit the ITV2 show after three days to rekindle a relationship with his ex-girlfriend, and later insisted he did not shoot any of the animals shown in the photographs, “nor have I ever shot as a trophy hunter,” he said.
The pictures had prompted 578 viewers to complaint to Ofcom, but it has not upheld the complaints following an initial assessment.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “We don’t determine how contestants are chosen, or who takes part in programmes. These are editorial matters for ITV.”
Ofcom also decided not to investigate comments made by Bristolian beauty consultant Siannise Fudge.
Some 63 viewers objected to Siannise – who said her friends call her Princess Jasmine – likening Nas Majeed, with whom she was coupled up, to “Aladdin”.
“In our view, the comment was not used in a derogatory manner, and was likely to be intended as a compliment,” Ofcom said.
“This also followed Siannise’s comment about seeing herself as a Disney princess seeking her prince, which provided further context.”
In a recent interview with The Sun, Ollie doubled down on his defence of the pictures, insisting he had taken part in a conservation and anti-poaching unit in Mozambique.
However, he admitted he “can see why people reacted in the way they did”.
“The photos are offensive, all people can see is a dead animal and me smiling and I apologise for the offensive nature of them,” he said.
“I knew the negativity were about these pictures, because taken out of context they look bad. I’m not a trophy hunter and I don’t take gratification out of killing animals.”
The land owner, who is heir to the Lanhydrock estate in Cornwall, also revealed he had reunited with ex Laura Nofer after leaving the show for her.
Love Island continues on Tuesday at 9pm on ITV2.
