Love Island researchers have been targeting Ireland for sexy contestants for this summer’s show, according to a top model boss.
Assets Model Agency boss Derek Daniels has told how he’s been inundated with calls from ITV requesting castings for wannabe reality stars.
Assets is the first stop for all the top TV shows in the UK and Mr Daniels said producers are attracted to the Irish wit and charm.
Derek told the Irish Mirror: “Irish people have the craic built into them and production companies are aware of this.
“If they get a good Irish character they’re onto a winner, we have an inbuilt spirit of fun and we’re great conversationalists and we love to talk.
“Regardless of whether they’re talking a load of crap or not, they create great reality TV and are even better in the editing suites.
“You need all these elements to make these work.
The famous model boss, who has worked with Ireland’s top models including Sarah Morrissey and Glenda Gilson, said it’s the younger models who are into instant fame.
He added: “There is a certain genre of young people who are interested then there are others that have more sense than to get involved.
“In reality TV it’s very well put together, getting people vying against each other to drum up ratings."
Mr Daniels admitted he advises his models to be wary of the psychological impact these shows have.
He said: “Let’s face it, it’s very well structured in that it creates great entertainment, but there is the other side to it, other people have to pick up the pieces with these kids afterwards.
“It’s all a bit like instant fame, the dangerous part of all these things is instant fame that lasts five minutes and then you see suicides from these shows.
“I know Jeremy Kyle isn’t a reality show but it runs along the same lines, getting people to expose themselves live on television.
The Dublin native said there is a shelf life to this sort of fame, adding: “These things set on these Caribbean Islands only a handful of people gain success from them, the rest are extras.
“Then they have to live with the consequences that nobody is interested in them because they have nothing to offer.
“There’s an element of these show people who are interested in this type of thing and let’s face it, if anything these reality shows have been around for 15 years and they’re old hat but they are a reality of the world we live in now, as our influences and instant stardom.”
