After a hiatus last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Love Island returns next week and we couldn’t be more excited.
The show announced its long awaited lineup yesterday, which includes Weston-super-Mare engineer Jake Cornish.
He joins civil servant Sharon Gaffka, PE teacher Hugo Hammond and fashion blogger Kaz Kamwi, among other contestants.
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When does Love Island 2021 start?
It was confirmed last week that Love Island will start on Monday, June 28 at 9pm on ITV2 and the ITV Hub.
Like previous years, the show will run for eight weeks.
Where is Love Island 2021 filmed?
Love Island 2021 is returning to its iconic villa in Majorca, Spain.
According to Mail Online, the villa is near the small town of Sant Llorenc des Cardassar in eastern Majorca.
ITV is yet to make an official announcement about where the dating show will be filmed, although builders have been pictured in recent weeks transforming the Majorca villa previously used in its 2019 series.
ITV previously had plans to host the show in the UK in locations such as Jersey or Cornwall, as back-up options due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
Who are the contestants?
Name: Sharon Gaffka
Age: 25
Location: Oxford
Occupation: Civil Servant - Operations Lead for Department of Transport
Name: Aaron Francis
Age: 24
Location: London
Occupation: Luxury Events Host
Name: Liberty Poole
Age: 21
Location: Birmingham
Occupation: Nando's Waitress and Marketing Student
Name: Hugo Hammond
Age: 24
Location: Hampshire
Occupation: PE Teacher
Name: Shannon Singh
Age: 22
Location: Fife
Occupation: Glamour model
Name: Jake Cornish
Age: 24
Location: Weston-super-Mare
Occupation: Water Engineer
Name: Kaz Kamwi
Age: 26
Location: Essex
Occupation: Fashion Blogger
Name: Brad McClelland
Age: 26
Location: Northumberland
Occupation: Labourer
Name: Chloe Burrows
Age: 25
Location: Bicester
Occupation: Financial Services Marketing Executive
Name: Toby Aromolaran
Age: 22
Location: Essex
Occupation: Semi-pro footballer
Name: Faye Winter
Age: 26
Location: Devon
Occupation: Letting Manager
Who hosts and narrates Love Island?
Laura Whitmore is returning to host the 2021 series of Love Island. She has featured in several promotional videos ahead of the new season, where she declares: 'This is not a drill!'
Laura's husband Iain Stirling, 33, narrates Love Island and the comedian has been providing a voiceover for the ITV2 dating series since 2015.
The couple recently welcomed their first child together in March.
What are the Love Island duty of care protocols?
This year, Love Island has assured its viewers that it is taking the welfare of its cast very seriously and has even told viewers to be kind in wake of the trolling and criticism previous Islanders have received.
Islanders have also been trained in trolling and finance to help them cope with the sudden fame that comes with being part of the show.
It was revealed on Wednesday that the ITV2 dating show has enlisted another clinical psychologist ahead of the new series.
Contestants will receive medical and psychological assessments and have a welfare team dedicated to them.
Pre-filming and filming
- Registered mental health professional engaged throughout the whole series - from pre-filming to aftercare.
- Thorough pre-filming psychological and medical assessments including assessments by an independent doctor, psychological consultant and reports from each Islander’s own GP to check medical history.
- Potential Islanders are required to fully disclose any medical history that would be relevant to their inclusion in the villa and the production’s ability to provide a suitable environment for them.
- Managing cast expectations: detailed explanations both verbally and in writing of the implications, both positive and negative, of taking part in the series are given to potential cast members throughout the casting process and reinforced within the contract so it is clear.
- Cast are told they should consider all the potential implications of taking part in the show and work through this decision-making process in consultation with their family and those closest to them, to ensure they feel it is right for them.
- Senior Team on the ground have received training in Mental Health First Aid.
- A welfare team solely dedicated to the Islanders both during the show and after.
Aftercare
- Bespoke training on dealing with social media and advice on finance and adjusting to life back home.
- A minimum of eight therapy sessions will be offered to each Islander when they return home.
- Proactive contact with Islanders for a period of 14 months after the series in which they have appeared has ended, with additional help provided where applicable.
- We encourage Islanders to secure management to represent them after the show and manage them should they choose to take part in other TV shows, advertising campaigns or other public appearance opportunities.
Do you know any of the islanders? If so we'd love to hear from you. Please email: beth.cruse@reachplc.com
Love Island returns next Monday at 9pm on ITV2
