Love Island's future has been questioned following the heartbreaking deaths of two of its beloved former cast members.
The ITV dating show's aftercare was thrown into the spotlight after Mike Thalassitis was tragically found dead last month, just one year after fellow show star Sophie Gradon.
After their passing, a whole host of previous celebrities who appeared on the show begun criticising producers for failing to check up on them once they had entered the spotlight.
Mike's 2017 co-star Jonny Mitchell was one of the first to speak out – even creating a petition as he called for bosses to change the system – while Sophie Gradon's close pal Zara Holland has also been outspoken on the issue.
Emotional Megan McKenna reveals how she's coping with Mike Thalassitis' shock death
And their concerns were echoed by many concerned members of the public, who claimed that, out of respect for the two deceased stars, the show shouldn't air this year, and producers should use the time re-think things or even scrap it altogether.
"Unpopular opinion but I think love island should be cancelled, especially because of the two deaths of previous stars of the show, the show is based around looks and people telling you whether you’re good enough or attractive enough, I can’t imagine how s**t it must feel," one person wrote online.
While another agreed:"Genuinely wondering if love island and all these types of shows should just be cancelled because it's obviously having a seriously s**t effect on people's mental health when they leave :(".
"If a show such as love island is causing harm to people like mental health issues and death then it should be taken off air the show should be cancelled this is the second love island star that ive heard has sadly passed away at such a young age," a third claimed.
However, despite pleas from some of the public, there looks to be little chance that the show won't air this summer.
As they were hit with a slurry of criticism, instead of calling the programme off, ITV instead responded by promising to radically alter the way they handle aftercare.
In a statement to Mirror Online, the ITV2 show said it will be upgrading its aftercare by offering therapy to every single Islander, not just those who get in touch to ask for it.
Bosses will also be checking on Islanders regularly after the series has wrapped, and will arrange social media training and financial management for their young stars.
Mike Thalassitis' restaurant opening this weekend to raise money for charity in his memory
While they were praised for their quick action by many, high profile criticisms of the show persisted, with model Pamela Anderson even stating that reality shows like it needed to end.
However, undeterred, Caroline Flack put to bed any speculation that the show shouldn't be returning earlier this week.
Taking to her Instagram, the presenter excitedly announced that she had already started filming, and was about to meet this year's contestants – some of whom have already been recruited.
“By the end of the week, I’m going to have potentially seen the cast for this year which is really exciting and mad that it’s come around this quick," she gushed.
The new series is expected to premiere in June, but an official launch date has not been confirmed.
Mirror Online has contacted ITV for comment.
