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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Molly Pike

Love Island blamed for giving young boys body image issues because of ripped Islanders

Every year the Love Island villa is packed with muscular men with not a single dad bod in sight.

And now the show is being blamed for giving young boys body image issues because it only shows stereotypically "perfect" bodies.

According to analysts from the Children’s Society, boys are catching up with girls in the numbers of them suffering from low self esteem.

Its annual Good Childhood report revealed that more than 200,000 children in the UK are unhappy with their lives as a whole.

For boys, looks are becoming more important, and one in 12 aged 10 to 15 is unhappy with his appearance.

Tommy Fury is one of the show's hunkiest contestants (ITV)

Richard Crellin, policy and research manager in mental health and wellbeing at the Children’s Society, told The Times: "They talked a lot about the pressure to go the gym and have a great body

"They talked about the men they see on social media and Love Island … about how people are always working out on that show."

The report quoted one teen who said he felt pressure to live up to the hunky men he watched on TV.

He said: "You see all these models, you see all these weightlifters, body-builders, and you look at yourself and you're like, 'I look like a stick.'

Firefighter Michael Griffiths was ripped (ITV)
Love Island's Amber mobbed in the street

"I feel like we’re exposed to a lot more so we are less secure about our appearance."

Love Island bosses caused outrage after it emerged they'd vetoed having any plus-size Islanders .

Speaking to The Sun, the show's boss Richard Cowles said: “We try and be as representative and diverse as possible but first and foremost it’s an entertainment show.

Anton Danyluk runs his own gym (ITV)

"It’s about people wanting to watch and them reacting and falling in love with another. Yes, we want to be as representative as possible but we also want them to be attracted to one another."

Twitter users were quick to hit back, with one blasting, "Absolutely disgusting that love island bosses have tried to defend the lack of plus size people on their show.

"Can’t believe they have said they want them to be attractive. Plus size people are beautiful too and plus size people deserve love."

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