Relatives of this year’s contestants will be schooled on how to cope with online abuse on Instagram and other social media platforms.
ITV revealed its new duty of care protocols just days ago, which have been revampedaround disability, sexuality, and race.
Families will also be sent to ‘Instagram safety school’ to learn how to deal with trolling.
‘There is so much trolling that goes on while the show is on and that can be difficult for people who have had no experience of being in the limelight to have to deal with,’ an insider said.
‘So an Instagram school has been set up for those running the accounts of contestants, usually family members or close friends, so they can be taught techniques of how to deal with the abuse and also the reporting of it.
‘They will be schooled in all things social media.’
The source added to the : ‘It is part of ensuring the safety around the programme, which has come under mass scrutiny in the past years.’
Love Island contestants will receive inclusion training exploring language and behaviour before entering the villa.
The conversations will be chaired by the Black Collective of Media in Sport (Bcoms) founder Leon Mann MBE, broadcaster Sean Fletcher, disability specialist Shani Dhanda and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) consultant Hayley Bennett.
The discussions will also tackle topics including creating safe spaces and being a good ally.
‘The world we live in is changing every day, and we want all of our islanders to feel they are part of an inclusive environment in the villa,’ Ade Rawcliffe, group director of diversity and inclusion at ITV, said.
‘As part of our duty of care process, it is also important we play our part in educating our participants to understand and empathise with different perspectives and lived experiences.’
In 2019, The Jeremy Kyle Show was axed from ITV’s schedules amid growing scrutiny of the duty of care that reality TV shows have to participants following the death of a contestant, and Love Island also faced criticism following the deaths of former contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.
Among the processes detailed for all contributors on Love Island are ‘comprehensive psychological support’, ‘detailed conversations regarding the impact of participation on the show’, and a ‘proactive aftercare package’, the broadcaster said.
Before entering the show, prospective contestants will watch a video fronted by the show’s executive producer and head of welfare interviewing former islanders about their experiences on the show.
It includes details on the two-week period before they enter the villa, how to cope being filmed 24 hours a day and dealing with social media trolling.
Pre-filming stipulations include contestants disclosing ‘any medical history’ that would be relevant to their time in the villa, as well as ‘managing cast expectations’.
Aftercare procedures include ‘proactive contact with islanders for a period of 14 months after the series in which they have appeared has ended, with additional help provided where applicable’.
Love Island returns Monday, June 6 on ITV2.
