Two weeks into Love Island, the nation’s most-watched reality TV show, and ITV2 producers are facing backlash for their apparent racist double standards after removing Sherif Lanre for use of the c-word.
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Sherif Lanre, the 20-year-old chef and rugby player, was one of the initial cast members for the fifth series of the dating show, however his journey to find love under the Majorcan sunshine was cut short due to his use of offensive language.
Following his swift exit, the Londoner has decided to speak out to argue against the injustice, claiming that other contestants did not face the same repercussions as him despite repeatedly using terms worse than he did.
“He said it two or three times and he was not pulled aside even though the code forbids racist language.” Sherif implied the racist double standards of show producers on stating, “The same rules did not seem to apply to the other contestants.”
Moreover this has sparked debate amongst viewers who argue the show’s sexist double standards in light of numerous provocative comments made by new arrival, Maura Higgins. The model repeatedly objectifies Tommy Fury in casual conversation forcing viewers to question if the same comments would be acceptable if made by a male islander instead.
Check out the video to see what Sherif Lanre had to say!