After 18 months without Love Island{
And this got us wondering: what really goes on behind-the-scenes? Is the Love Island villa really as glamorous and glossy as it appears on the surface? Are there really strict and ridiculous rules in the house? We thought there would be nobody better to ask than season four's Megan Barton-Hanson, who was up for telling us some of the villa's biggest secrets.
So sssh, keep quiet!
There's always someone hiding in the kitchen cupboard
'In that store cupboard you see in the kitchen, there's always a runner [or member of production] in there,' she says. 'It's kind of weird, as that's where you fill your water bottles up and there's always someone in there! You're like, "Hi, you alright?"'
You're not allowed to flirt in the swimming pool
Over the years, there have been debates on social media about whether the islanders are actually allowed in the pool, because they're not often seen diving in. Megan says they are allowed a dip, but you're just not allowed to get your flirt on - as the mics would miss the all important action. 'Everyone asks why don't people get a little flirty in the swimming pool, but you're not allowed to go in with your partner and have a conversation,' she tells us. 'You can go in there, but it's chit chat only as you can't wear your mic pack in the pool.'
Getting your wardrobe sorted is a nightmare if you're part of Casa Amor
'Oh my God, the clothes!' Megan exclaims. 'For me it was a disaster!' This is because, Megan explains, the people who come in later have to fight over what's left. 'If you're in the original lineup, I think they have like one day before they go in quarantine where they can go and pick out a selection of clothes that they like, from whatever brand is sponsoring the show. But if you're in Casa Amor, or come in later. it's literally like a free for all. They'll like dump a black sack of clothes and every girl was running to get the best bits.'
You might get your hair done - twice
The islanders' glam looks are all down to themselves, and nobody else - as Megan reveals the cast were pleading to get their hair and make-up done. 'We literally had to beg so hard,' she says, 'obviously I've never been on TV before, and I just assumed that every evening when they do the recoupling, you have hair or makeup done for you. But you're literally left to your own devices.
'And I'm such a tomboy, I'm so bad at my own hair and makeup. So I was like, "Oh my God!" And the humidity as well, I was going to look like Monica from Friends. So it just wasn't good. I think they sent in people twice throughout like the eight weeks, which was nice.'
No, there isn't a six month relationship contract
Fans have also always wondered if there's a six month contract the couples leaving the show sign, as that's the average amount of time relationships from the show last. But Megan has an explanation - after six months, in normal times, the hype dies down, and cracks start to show when the couples get to spend more time with each other outside the villa. And this is what happened with her and ex-boyfriend Wes Nelson.
'No, there's definitely no contract to stay together,' she laughs. 'We all give it a good go, and six months is the breaking point. So I think for boys all come out do personal appearances at clubs, and after that six months, it kind of dies down and then you're like just stuck with each other. Up until then, even if you know it's not going to work on the outside - you see each other here and there, and you can kind of get by. But I think when the PAs with the boys come to an end, you're like this isn't gonna work.'
You don't know the time - but you can work it out if you're sneaky
In the villa, time basically doesn't exist - as you're not allowed to look at the clock, and the time isn't available on the phones they have. In previous seasons, some have even tried to create sundials to work it out. (Cough, Michael Griffiths.) 'One night I figured out that the time was on the cooker, covered in a bit of tape,' Megan says, 'so I peeled it back and saw the time. And it must have been like three, four in the morning. And it was the worst mistake of my life, because the next day I felt so drained. I think it's better to just go with the flow.'
You are allowed wine, only two glasses though
'They give us only two glasses of wine a night, which I think is like the best thing because could you imagine when someone leaves and everyone's crying already... I used to watch the show and be like, "Oh my god, like get a grip you've only known these people like a week." But when you're in there, I can't even explain how intense it is, even with just friendships. So I think if they gave the girls any more to drink, it would be a whole evening of tears.'
Production tell you you're not allowed to masturbate, and it's as awkward as you'd expect
'The no masturbation thing, that's kind of annoying,' Megan says. 'It's awkward when they have to tell us that, like we're animals can't control ourselves. We can't be masturbating around the villa, like who would do that?!'
And, finally, Megan clears up whether some who enter the villa are in 'secret relationships'
'I feel so angry when people get back with their exes,' she says. 'I'm invested as a viewer! You're just like, "Wow, that's so shady." But you've got to think about the people that go on this show: they're confident, they're good looking, and they're definitely going to have someone they're texting, and it might not be a full blown relationship, but they probably have someone on the back burner, so I reckon that's happened a few times. But there was one guy in my series and it later came out that he did have a girlfriend, and I actually like coupled up with him for a minute. And I just feel like the way he was acting, everything was for the camera.'
Love Island returns tonight on ITV2 at 9pm. Season 1 of Megan’s podcast, You Come First, is available now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
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