Is it just us, or are the men on Love Island this year a very specific breed of sinister? Watching almost every couple so far, there is not one relationship insecurity the men have not exploited – and last night’s episode was the final straw.
Let’s start with Jake Cornish and Liberty Poole – who are fast becoming this year’s Curtis Pritchard and Amy Curtis. Jake will tell anyone who listens that he doesn’t want to ‘rip Liberty’s clothes off’ and that if a new ‘blonde with blue eyes’ walked in, he would definitely get to know them. And yet he also jumps in the pool fully clothed when given the opportunity to share the hideaway with Liberty.
He finally told her in last night’s episode that he would get to know other islanders, as should she – moments after Liberty revealed to Kaz Kamwi that she was ‘falling deep’ for Jake. It was a confession viewers had long been waiting for, and one we’re about to see play out as two new blonde bombshells enter the villa tonight.
But the thing is, the damage is already done. For the entire first week, Jake has sold Liberty a dream. He’s telling her how she’s just his type, how they ‘just vibe’ and that she’s like him ‘in a wig’. Meanwhile, he’s telling Hugo Hammond something entirely different.
Hugo hasn’t told Liberty either, and from the preview of tonight’s episode it appears he ends up in hot water with Sharon Gaffka and Faye Winter too over something offensive he says to Sharon. Now, it was only a five-second clip, but seeing Hugo cry because of the situation as Faye shouts ‘I don’t care if he’s crying’ gave off big red flag energy. It’s clear he’s offended the women, but no doubt Faye will be cast as the villain for not caring about him being upset as the men flock to his aide. We’ll wait to pass judgement on that scenario, but you can practically feel the sexism brewing already knowing Hugo has been cast as this years ‘nice guy’ and Faye, not so much.
But back to Liberty and Jake – the couple everyone predicts will be thrown apart by Casa Amor, or even just the latest two bombshells. Watching the way Jake behaves with Liberty, it’s reminding so many women of their own scenarios. You date a man, he acts like he’s obsessed with you, often sprinkling in some love-bombing for good measure, only to announce one day that he’s not interested in being exclusive, or that he’s been dating other people the whole time.
It’s the worst type of fuckboy, because it’s that insidious type of gaslighting where they may not have SAID anything to guarantee a future, but they’ve certainly acted that way. You not only feel betrayed by them, but by yourself for ‘misreading’ the signs. And so begins the trust issues that men will then complain make you unlovable.
Hopefully, with Liberty now aware of Jake’s intentions, she’ll be able to shake off the feelings she’s clearly developed – but there’s no doubt we’ll see the lingering insecurities that are born from men like Jake as she continues her time on Love Island.
Brad McClelland is an entirely different kind of fuckboy. From his treatment of Faye, he appears to be that guy that tells you he’s upfront and honest, but actually he’s just mean. He's already started negging Rachel Finni (telling her there's 'room for improvement' in the way she looks) and masking it as a joke. And remember when he was still coupled up with Faye and was ‘forced’ to snog her in a challenge that told him to kiss the person he fancied the least? And he was all ‘What did you expect me to do?’ Only Sharon had the balls to say what we were all thinking… JUST KISS SOMEONE ELSE LOVE. But Sharon has her own fuckboy to deal with, and he came as quite the shock last night.
After revealing that she doesn’t want kids unless she meets someone who will share the workload of having them, Aaron Francis ran for the hills. ‘I think she’s scared of being with someone whose the breadwinner and becoming a housewife,’ he translated. Honestly, just watching the way he took Sharon wanting an equal partnership and turned it into a red flag where HE would be oppressed was haunting. ‘She wants a green Aston Martin’ he added, concluding that she’s too career-driven and doesn’t have time for a man.
Aaron then, quite clearly, is the toxic masculinity fuckboy. The one that seems so chilled, so put together, so fun, until you tell him you wouldn’t mind having equal rights and he takes it as a personal attack on his manhood.
The only boy left if Toby Aromolaran, and he’s really the only one deserving of the noun – because he’s just a giant manbaby. His fuckboyery stems from lack of experience and immaturity, so much so you would almost let him off if you could’ve envision just how much it’s going to impact Kaz when she realises. He too isn’t being entirely honest with Kaz about his lack of interest in her, but he at least appears to be wresting with it – and he’s definitely not selling her a dream, he won’t even bloody touch her for God’s sake.
But the thing is, that kind of fear of confrontation is why Kaz is still making so much effort with him, entirely unaware that he’s spent days deciding whether or not he likes her enough to kiss her. It’s hard to know whether he’s forcing it because he wants to be on Love Island, or because he genuinely struggles to navigate his emotions – but either way, it’s she who will pay the price.
Ultimately, all of the boys represent the wide spectrum of fuckboys in different ways. We would include Liam Reardon, but honestly we forgot he existed until now – he will get his fuckboy title when he says more than one word. Hugo? He’s a nice guy fuckboy in the making, but we’re still reserving judgement until we see more evidence.
Either way, the entire cast is giving us trust issues for days. Whether it’s Brad’s ability to lose interest in a woman overnight or Jake pretending to be in love with Liberty, we just want Ovie Soko back.
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