Love Island hasn’t even finished its first week yet and we’ve already had tears, twists and head-turning - talk about a dramatic start to the season. On last night’s episode, 24-year-old musical theatre performer Molly Marsh ended up crying after it became evident that her early connection with Mitchell Taylor meant other islanders thought she was ‘closed off’ to new boys.
‘I’m absolutely going to speak to Zach more,’ she told fellow Islander Ruchee Gurung. ‘I am open, I’m so open. I know Mitch is saying to people he’s closed off. I will tell him, but I just find it hard to explain myself… I just can’t always get out how I feel. I just go with things really easily and I don’t want people to think I’m closed off.’
Her tearful confession sparked debate on social media, some questioning whether Molly had genuine reason to cry about the situation. ‘Molly, I like you. But let’s wrap these tears up because there’s absolutely zero reason to be crying,’ one person tweeted.
‘I’m not closed off at all, which has also made me get upset because I don’t want people to think that’ Molly explained in the beach hut. ‘It’s obviously looking like it’s going really well but actually, we’re only a couple of days in.’
In a preview clip of tonight’s episode, Molly was spotted crying once more after Mitchell explained to her that he wouldn’t be putting the same amount of time and energy into their budding romance if she’s not willing to give it in return.
His reaction begs the question, is Molly really that dramatic for crying? We’ve only seen a few snippets of what’s now been three days in the villa, and perhaps her emotional reaction stems from something we’re not seeing. When you really think about it, it would be overwhelming to feel as though you’ve been put in a ‘super couple’ box after 24 hours of knowing someone. Not only has Mitchell put her on a pedestal early on, which is a lot of pressure, it’s his affection for her that has made it so the other boys in the villa wouldn’t even try to get to know her. Surely, it’s understandable then that she’d feel overwhelmed by that, with her Love Island experience essentially being taken out of her hands based on the assumption that she’s in the same place Mitchell is.
Of course, it’s completely fair enough that Mitchell wouldn’t put as much energy into Molly if she’s not willing to do the same, but evidently the idea that she can be so quickly cast aside by merely raising the fact she’s not ‘closed off’ to other boys after three days is something she’s found upsetting – hence the tears in tonight’s episode.
Ultimately, the entire Love Island experience must be incredibly stressful. From leaving your family behind for the holding villa to jumping headfirst into a holiday romance in front of the entire nation, knowing you may well be judged for not falling at the feet of the first guy who decides he’s ‘closed off’ with you – it’s an experience few of us could even imagine. So perhaps let’s give her the benefit of the doubt with those tears!