Politics
A Place In The Sun’s Lee Juggurnauth reveals he turned down spot on Love Island for ‘mocking people of colour’
A PLACE In The Sun’s Lee Juggurnauth has revealed he turned down a spot on Love Island.
The new Channel 4 host explained he felt the dating show “mocked people of colour”.
Lee Juggernauth says he turned down a spot on Love Island[/caption]
Property developer Lee, 34, was announced as a presenter on A Place in the Sun last month.
A talented individual, Lee also has a background in music management, clothing design and modelling.
Speaking on the The Three Podcast hosted by Azalea Reason, Lee spoke about his own dating history and was adamant he would not be appearing on Love Island anytime soon.
As the pair discussed interracial relationships, Lee said: “I think it’s one of those things where I’m so glad to see if you look socially, mixed relationships, mixed marriages, it’s becoming more common.
The new A Place in the Sun presenter claims the dating show ‘mocks people of colour’[/caption]
“I look at my own family and there’s a lot of mixed couples, mixed relationships and mixed children. I think it’s becoming a bit more normal.
“However, as an individual and being a brown man in this day and age, it is hard.”
He went on: “For me personally, I can only speak from my own experience. I can’t speak for black guys or brown guys. But it’s always hard.
“If I want to compare it to shows like Love Island, the brown guy, the black guy, the black girl, and the brown girl will always come out last.
“I’ve been offered to go on that show two or three times and there are a lot of reasons why I wouldn’t do it.”
Lee elaborated: “For one, my mum will kill me.
“But fundamentally it’s like a mockery of people of colour.”
The popular presenter also revealed he’d been approached by US dating show, The Bachelor last year, but he turned it down for the same reason.
He reflected: “Dating is hard for a person of colour. It really, really is.”
In 2019 the show became embroiled in a racism row when Yewande Biala was the last contestant to be picked in the first coupling ceremony – the fourth year in a row that an ethnic minority contestant was picked last in the first coupling ceremony.
Former Love Island star Marcel Somerville also blasted the series in an exclusive interview with The Sun after Yewande followed in his and other minorities, Malin Andersson, and Samira Mighty’s footsteps of not being picked on launch night.
He told us: “The one thing that lets the show down is when they’re doing their casting they don’t take into consideration people’s tastes.
“The casting progress needs to change. They need to listen and think about who they’re putting in the villa and at what times.
“They need to make sure people match up in terms of their types, they put a bunch of good looking people in there but if you’re putting people in there that won’t form connections you’re making it impossible − especially if it is a person of colour, they’re making it seem like it’s a colour situation.”
Last month The Sun revealed ITV had extended Love Island applications as show bosses were searching for the “most diverse cast ever” and were recruiting “all shapes and sizes”.
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A TV source said: “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.
“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.”
The Sun has approached Love Island for a response to Lee’s comments.
