Shaughna Phillips, a former contestant on Love Island, has called for a raise in the minimum age requirement for the show, describing the participation of young women as unsettling.
As the newest season of Love Island approaches, bringing with it another wave of poolside romances and complex alliances, a comment sparked by the latest 2024 summer season from ex-participant Shaughna Phillips focuses on a disturbing truth about the show.
In an interview with media outlets, Phillips praised the Love Island All Stars edition as a brilliant revival for the brand but couldn’t help addressing an underlying issue that troubled her about the reality show.
Phillips did not name anyone specific but shared her unease: “I’m not comfortable watching a 29-year-old man dating a 19-year-year-old girl.”
Although the All Stars lineup did not feature 19-year-olds, the age differences in some of the show’s couplings, like Tom Clare, 24, dating Arabella Chi, 33, and Chris Taylor, 33, with Sophie Piper, 25, did raise some eyebrows among the viewers.
The age requirement for Love Island contenders is currently set at 18. In a past season, 18-year-old Amelia Peters left just two days after entering Casa Amor, making little impact during her short stay.
Gemma Owen’s entry into the villa at 19, where she briefly coupled up with 27-year-old Davide Sanclimenti, has sparked debates, and with 19-year-old Gigi Simons, child of CBB star Lauren Simon, rumored to join the 2024 season, the discussions continue.
Phillips proposed: “It might be insightful to cast older contestants, possibly those who are parents. I find I lack interest in the younger participants. At 25, I felt quite old in my season, which is something that saddens me.”
Phillips’ suggestion to increase the age limit to 21 would have excluded younger former contestants like Molly-Mae Hague, Tommy Fury, and Amber Gill, who were all 20 or under when they joined the show.
