Entertainment
ITV boss admits mistakes were made with Love Island following fan complaints-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro
He also addressed a new host taking over from Laura Whitmore.
Laura Whitmore recently announced she was stepping down as host (Picture: ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)
ITV’s boss has accepted the allegations of ‘mistakes’ being made on shows such as Love Island, acknowledging that TV programmes can ‘raise these points of people’s behaviour’.
Throughout this year’s series of the dating competition, thousands of people submitted complaints to media watchdog Ofcom, with the subject of their criticisms including accusations of ‘bullying’ and ‘misogyny’.
In July, the managing director of media and entertainment at the broadcaster, Kevin Lygo, confirmed that they were going to ‘sit down and review’ the show after it came to an end, stating at the time: ‘We must always look to improve and work on what we have done. But we are very happy with the way it has gone so far.’
While attending the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday August 24, the boss addressed the ‘mistakes’ that had been made with the way in which the company handled various shows, including Love Island.
Discussing the ITV2 dating competition and Big Brother, which is set to make its highly-anticipated return next year, he said: ‘Some of the things that go on in these shows, we’ve only got an hour, but I feel it is disingenuous to show things that producers might say, “Oh, this is uncomfortable.”’
He continued: ‘A good and useful consequence of entertainment shows is that it raises these points of people’s behaviour… but, as producers, we have to make sure they don’t step too far.’
Big Brother fans are ecstatic over its imminent return (Picture: ITV)
The managing director added that the plans to bring Big Brother back on new platform ITVX – having previously come to an end on Channel 5 in 2018 – came down to the success of Love Island.
Addressing the firms’ duty-of-care policy for reality shows of this ilk, he stated that it was ‘uppermost in producers’ minds’, and that it has progressed ‘leaps and bounds’ over the past couple of years.
During his appearance at the festival, the TV executive also opened up about Laura Whitmore’s departure as Love Island host, having first taken over the role from the late Caroline Flack in 2020.
Maya, Ekin-Su and AJ have all been tipped as possible replacements for Laura (Picture: Getty/Rex/EPA)
While there is a huge amount of speculation over who will succeed Laura – with people including Maya Jama, AJ Odudu and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu named as possible contenders – her replacement is yet to be decided.
Nonetheless, whoever is chosen will step up to the plate for the first time for the winter series, which is due to air from January 2023.
Love Island is available to watch on ITV Hub.
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