While we’re still unsure on just who is going to be jetting out to Majorca, it’s already being reported that this year’s Love Islandmight feature some high-profile names. Earlier this week, The Sunreported that AJ Pritchard's little brother, Curtis, is the first confirmed name - but there's also been rumours that Tyson Fury’s younger brother and Rochelle Humes’ younger sister are on standby to join Casa Amor.
And now The Mirror are reporting that bosses are looking to welcome ‘all body shapes’ by trying to recruit plus-sized model Jada Sezer. A TV insider told the newspaper, ‘Previous years have been criticised for a lack of diversity among contestants. This year producers are determined to have more variation among the Islanders.’
Jada - a size 16 - is a stunning model, podcast host and body-positive activist. ‘This is my natural weight and I’ve been able to make a career from it,’ Jada has previously said, talking about her body shape. ‘If I was to stop liking cake and lost weight then I would probably lose clients because when you get down to a size 14/12 it can be harder to get jobs.’ With over 200,000 followers, she already has a huge fanbase on Instagram. Oh, and did we forget to mention? Not only did she run the London Marathon last year, but she did it in her underwear.
But, what needs to be remembered, is that Jada is a size 16. And while comparatively that might seem larger than the teeny tiny size 6 frames we are used to seeing on TV - actually, size 16 is the average size of a UK woman. Sure, it would be a move in the right direction to recruit someone who falls outside of the ‘toned and tiny’ typecast - but including one averagely sized woman in the line-up is unlikely to undo the four seasons where Islanders have typically been signed up for being the walking epitome of body goals. Welcoming one normal sized woman shouldn't be a big deal, but unfortunately it is.
Following criticism following the deaths ofSophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis, the show announced yesterday that they will now be providing a minimum of eight therapy sessions for each Islander on their return home. And, according to the new guidelines, contestants will also receive bespoke training on dealing with social media, as well as advice on finance.