Love Island 2021 is edging ever closer and producers are pulling out all the stops to make sure it’s the best series ever. One of the changes they’re reportedly making this year is ensuring that viewer concerns about lack of diversity are addressed. They’re reportedly set to cast Islanders of ‘all shapes and sizes’ this year.
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A source told The Sun:
Bosses know that all eyes will be on them when the show returns later this year, so they want to make sure that they can't give anyone anything to criticise them over. In the past the show has been criticised for being too white, and having a lack of body diversity.
The source continued:
Viewers want to see women and men that they can relate to and hot singletons come in all shapes and sizes so this is a positive move. They've also been criticised for being too white, and this is something that they will be addressing. The casting team have been told to get the most diverse line up ever. It's being seen as a bit of a long overdue shake-up.
Body diversity on Love Island
Back in 2019, plus-sized model Jada Sezer was heavily rumoured to be going into the villa but fans were left disappointed when this didn’t happen. She later revealed she turned down the opportunity for the sake of her mental health, telling Grazia:
The narrative would have been about my size, not about the marathon I had run or the mental health campaigning I had done, or who I was as a person.
How to apply for Love Island 2021
As well as recruiting a diverse cast, Love Island producers are also said to be keen to sign up key workers. If you fancy shooting your shot, there’s still time to apply as producers have scrapped the 30th April deadline. You can apply via a form on the ITV website or by swiping right on Love Island’s Tinder profile.
