Amy Hart has admitted that she and her fellow Love Islanders knew that Lucie Donlan racially renaming Yewande Biala was wrong on the show but did not speak up at the time.
The former air hostess, who appeared on the 2019 series of the show, was speaking as part of a mental health panel alongside Yewande and fellow ex Love Island contestant Rosie Williams.
The trio discussed the highs and lows of their time on the ITV2 dating show in front of a live audience at Cambridge Union when the subject of Lucie's behaviour came up as Yewande was asked about her activism.
In January this year, Yewande branded Lucie 'racist and malicious' for mis-pronouncing her name in the villa.
The Irish scientist and reality star said that she had to 'correct' Lucie 'multiple times' on how to say her name.
She said on one of the occasions that she corrected Lucie, the Newquay model replied "Yeah whatever you know what I mean," prompting one of the show's producers to give her a supportive hug.
Addressing the controversy on Wednesday night's panel, Amy Hart said she was 'so proud' of Yewande for speaking out about the situation this year.
On behalf of her fellow islanders, Amy said: "At the time we knew it wasn't right. We talked about it privately when we went out for dinner and stuff but it was never our story to tell.
"So when you spoke out about it that was when we were like, 'We've been waiting for this one,'" she said turning to face Yewande.
Yewande told the audience: "When it comes to racially renaming there's not enough that's said and it's not talked about enough.
"A lot of people don't think it's a thing but it effects so many people from minorities and they go away thinking, 'I can't really address that. That's not really a thing or I shouldn't say much I don't want to seem like a drama queen.
"Sometimes you might not know it's a micro-aggression but it makes you feel horrible inside and you know that person shouldn't have said that but you don't know how to handle it," she explained.
"It's so important to have someone that's able to stand up and say, 'No you shouldn't feel like this. That's a micro aggression.'"
When the allegations against Lucie first came to light in January, the surfer accused Yewande and her co-stars of 'bullying her.'
The 22-year-old asked for an end to the drama and said she'd received death threats.
"These are really old comments dug up purely to incite a row between two females.
"I said on the show I had trouble pronouncing Yewande's name, it's just what I'm like," said Lucie, before asking fans of Love Island to 'all just move on.'
Yewande responded: "You refused to call me by my name because it was too “hard to pronounce” now you wanna say I bullied you !! Bullied."
Amber Gill, who the series also jumped to Yewande's defence.
"Btw asking someone you don't know (well) who has an ethnic name if you can call them a 'nickname' is not a term of endearment it's a micro aggression & you don’t have the right to say there is no malicious/sinister intent you just don’t do it I thought that was just common sense," she tweeted.
