Just minutes after she waltzed into the Love Island villa in the very first episode, Ella Thomas became subject to some intense trolling for her appearance.
And it doesn't seem to have let up yet, with scores of viewers consistently tweeting negative comments about Ella Thomas, criticising her ‘cheek filler’ so much that the search term ‘Ella Love Island cheek filler’ continues to be a breakout search on Google.
Ella, who is currently coupled up with - and as of recent episodes exclusive with - semi-professional footballer Tyrique Hyde, is quite literally a model and has appeared in campaigns for some big name brands like UGG and Quiz clothing. It goes without saying that she’s stunning, but regardless of that no one should be subject to such vile commentary online.
'Ella needs that cheek filler dissolved as soon as her flight lands back in the uk' one person wrote on Twitter to hundreds of likes. 'Ella would be pretty without the cheek filler .. she looks a little scary,' another added. There were plenty more like it too, but we won't do you the disservice of repeating them all.
It happens year after year for female contestants, particularly once viewers assume they’ve had some plastic surgery or in Ella’s case, face fillers. The 23-year-old has not spoken about having work done - nor should she have to – but she’s one of many in a long line of Love Island women subject to intense speculation about so-called cosmetic tweakments.
Earlier this year it was Tanyel Revan, the year before Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and in 2021 both Sharon Gaffka and Faye Winter spoke out about the sexist commentary surrounding their plastic surgery. It always happens in the same way, a beautiful woman goes on Love Island and within days, ‘before and after' pictures are shared of her all over the internet or in the tabloids, with a suitable sensational headline about how ‘unrecognisable’ they were before.
It won’t be long before the ‘Ella before and after surgery’ or ‘Ella before and after cheek filler’ stories begin going viral, all in an effort to scrutinise a young woman and perpetuate further trolling.
Surely, we’ve learned from the countless women who have left the show and opened up about the intense pressure or stress such commentary causes – it’s been four years since the #BeKind movement began. And sadly, it feels as though we’re no closer to being kinder to each other at all.