Former Love Island star Alex George has warned this year's contestants not to underestimate the pressures which come with fame.
Dr Alex, who was a contestant on the show in 2017, issued the warning ahead of the new series which kicks off tonight.
In an exclusive interview with Express.co.uk, he said: “I think go in for the right reasons and don’t underestimate what it can be like coming out.
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“Don’t leave a good job if you can’t go back to it, that would be the one bit of advice I would give to anyone, be sure you can go back to your job.
“I knew I could always go back.
“With some careers, people don’t feel comfortable going back, that creates problems.”
Dr Alex said the Love Island hopefuls should not see it as an opportunity to just gain social media followers.
He added: “I think its very important to have that grounding, not to get carried away.
“Look after yourself when you’re on there and just know what you’re getting yourself into.”
Dr Alex also stressed that although there are many positives to appearing on the show, it’s "not an easy time".
“You will face criticism and that kind of stuff, being aware of that stuff and not going into it, I guess naively, is important,” he commented.
This year's cast includes; Sharon Gaffka, Hugo Hammond, Chloe Burrows, Shannon Singh, Kaz Kamwi, Brad McClelland, Faye Winter, Aaron Francis, Toby Aromolaran, Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish.
According to The Sun, the contestants were given the green light to appear on the show after passing several rounds of mental health checks.
A source said: “ITV puts the welfare of its Love Island stars front and centre and this year’s checks were the most extensive ever carried out.
“Producers are mindful that this series is also set to be the most watched because more people are watching TV during lockdown than ever.
“That’s why the tests have been ramped up and a lot of help and support is being put in place.”
