Following the news that Love Island producers are on the lookout for more key workers to appear on this year's edition of the show, Dr Alex George has spoken up to defend former Islanders from being stereotyped as people looking for a quick and easy path to fame and fortune, highlighting some of the positive things ex-Islanders have done.
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In an interview with Metro, Dr Alex said:
I think there’s this tarnished thing of what an islander would be and is and all this stuff, and I think sometimes that’s unfair. There’s a lot of people trying to do their best… There are a lot of people out there who are trying to be positive influences after the show.
He continued:
To assume that everyone only cares about making a quick buck I think is quite unfair. I do think if you do go on Love Island you’ve got to bear those kinds of things in mind, and the challenges that come with that. I think we probably should be a little bit fair and treat people as individuals rather than broad strokes. You’ve got to treat people as individual people.
Camilla Thurlow–positive influence
Dr Alex singled out Love Island 2017 star Camilla Thurlow as one example of an Islander who has used their platform for good. Having been a humanitarian worker prior to her time in the villa, Camilla has stayed true to her roots by bringing attention to good causes – like in her 2018 documentary What Camilla Did Next.
Dr Alex’s journey
Since appearing on Love Island, Dr Alex has continued to work on an A&E ward in a London hospital as well as using his newfound platform to make a difference. During the pandemic he’s shared videos debunking misinformation about coronavirus and was recently named as a Youth Mental Health Ambassador to the government.
