Irish Love Island star Yewande Biala has been caught up in a race row after she was the last to be coupled up.
Former Love Island contestant Marcel Somerville has describing having “flash backs” to being picked last in the 2017 series after Monday saw contestants chef Sherif Lanre, cancer vaccine biologist Yewande Biala and fireman Michael Griffiths left until last to be coupled.
Marcel posted: “Black guy, black girl and mixed race guy all left unpicked. Mad!!!”
Speaking to the Irish Mirror, Marcel, 31, said he feels black contestants can start Love Island on the “back foot”.
He said of the coupling up: “You can’t pin it on one thing, but it’s a strange coincidence.
"I read my online comments and someone said, ‘the show isn’t necessarily catered for black contestants – we all know they’re going to have a harder time surviving’. It’s a valid point.”
He added: “I’ve not been brought up being told I’m any different to anyone else. I never ever really look at race, but based on the show, you feel like some people still do.
“The UK is an amazing place, it’s a multicultural society, but from viewing Love Island for the last three years, you feel like there is still an element of difference between the different races.”
Marcel did praise the show, though, adding: "They’ve definitely tried to broaden the diversity in it and I commend them for it."
- Love Island is at 9pm on Virgin Media Two.
