Love Island: All Stars viewers call out series for lack of diversity

Viewers have accused Love Island: All Stars of having a lack of diversity in the series. 

The current series started on 15 January and sees famous faces from previous series gaining a second chance at finding love, and of course, the £50,000 prize fund.

The original series has previously come under fire for a lack of diversity, as well as having little representation for the LGBTQ+ community. And it seems that the celebrity series is facing the same backlash from viewers. 

On 5 February, twins Jess and Eve Gale, and former Islander Joe Garratt arrived on the all-star series. But many users expressed their concern for Kaz Kamwi, accusing producers of “neglecting” diversity in its contestants. 

“Producers have neglected Kaz so much this season, it’s terrible. There’s a reason why S10 & S5 were as good as they were and it’s because of diversity,” said one X user (formerly Twitter).

Another said: “Love Island actually turns my stomach. What does Kaz need to do to get someone sent in for her???? Another season of White Island where the black girl gets shafted and put in the corner. At this point, she is diversity window dressing.”

“THREE blonde bombshells, absolutely NO diversity, and y’all STILL treating Kaz like she’s the entire villa’s therapist?! #LoveIsland producers, when I catch you,” wrote another. 

“Why is it the same kind of people going in. Where is the diversity?”, a different viewer asked.

PinkNews has contacted a representative of Love Island: All Stars for a comment on the matter.

A former contestant from the 2021 series also echoed similar criticisms, claiming that the all-star series was “disappointing”. 

Priya Gopaldas starred in Love Island’s seventh season alongside since-departed All Stars contestants Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish, as well as remaining Islanders Kamwi and Toby Aromolaran.

Gopaldas said that while diversity on the show has somewhat improved, it is not yet “appropriate”. 

She told The Sun: “I think the show has become more diverse, but I don’t think that the diversity is appropriate.

“So in terms of when you look at what the UK population, it’s mostly made up of Caucasian, then Indian and South Asian, who actually make up the second largest proportion of the UK population,” she explained. “The fact that there isn’t South Asian representation so far on this season is disappointing.”