Love Island stars to give evidence to MPs

Love Island stars will appear before MPs investigating reality TV.

Former contestants Chris Williamson, Marcel Somerville and Yewande Biala will offer evidence on their treatment on the ITV show.

Love Island has come under scrutiny over the aftercare it offers following the deaths of former contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.

Reality TV MP investigation
Reality TV MP investigation

William, Somerville and Biala will appear before the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee later today.

The committee will discuss “representations of race, gender and body image and contestant preparedness for life after Love Island”.

MPs will also hear from a former guest on The Jeremy Kyle Show, which was axed by ITV in May following the death of participant Steve Dymond.

💃How are race, gender and body image represented on reality tv shows?

🤩How do producers prepare participants for life after the show?

📽️How do producers influence participants?

We'll be speaking to former @LoveIsland and Jeremy Kyle Show contestants about their experiences. pic.twitter.com/VWQ0MRHsYH

— Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee (@CommonsCMS) August 30, 2019

Show guests Dwayne Davison and Robert Gregory will offer evidence about their time on the show having claimed, according to MPs, that “the aftercare given to them was not robust and has had a serious negative impact on their lives”.

The committee has also been investigating the use of lie detector and DNA tests on the former show.

MPs have criticised TV bosses for not knowing enough about lie detector tests.

Mr Dymond, 63, died around a week after reportedly failing a love-cheat lie detector test on Kyle’s daytime show.

The construction worker was found in his room in Portsmouth on May 9 after splitting from on-off fiancee Jane Callaghan.

ITV recently announced Love Island will run for two series next year.

The committee session will take place at 2.30pm today.

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