From marrying total strangers to dating utterly naked, the world of reality TV is ever evolving. In Channel 4’s latest offering, adult virgins jet off for two weeks to learn all the ins and outs (pun intended) of sex. Just when we think we’ve seen it all…
Quite aptly named Virgin Island, the show follows 12 contestants as they embark on a unique course in intimacy. Set against the lush backdrop of the Mediterranean, the retreat helps them try to overcome any and all fears that are holding them back from intimacy.
And with the first episodes airing, the show is certainly garnering a mixed response from Brits across the country.
‘That was an absolutely excruciating watch,’ wrote one viewer, before joking, See you all tomorrow!’ Others noted how uncomfortable some moments had left them feeling, with one viewer adding, ‘Instead of preparing them for sex, how about working on their confidence and self-esteem.’
With the series currently underway, here’s everything you need to know about the cast of Virgin Island - both contestants and experts. Hint, hint: most of them have never had sex before.
Who are the contestants on Virgin Island?
The brand new show has 12 contestants, who are all hoping to connect with themselves while in the retreat.
Ben
Civil Servant Ben, 30, revealed he first applied for the show after a friend sent him the casting call via social media. He shared, ‘I’m not sure he knew I was a virgin, but he knew I’d struggled in this area. Funnily enough, my immediate response to his message was “not a chance.”’
Charlotte
When asked why she applied for the show, 29 year old Charlotte - who works as a care worker - shared, ‘I wanted to rid myself of my shame that I had surrounding my body, and my desire, and my ability to give myself pleasure. I wanted to be honest with myself so that I would not be hindered when having relationships in the future.’
Dave
Accountant Dave, 24, revealed how ‘an initial joke by some friends for some cheap laughs slowly became the opportunity of a lifetime.’ That opportunity of a lifetime? Virgin Island, of course. Opening up about his reasons for wanting to head to the retreat, Dave explained, ‘I have always struggled to open up to people in any manner as I’m naturally very cautious. This led me to feel invisible. A feeling I couldn’t take anymore.’
Emma
One of the younger members of the cast, food worker Emma shared, ‘I was the only virgin amongst my friendship group. At the age of 15/16 this may be significant. However, at 23, I felt outnumbered. I believed I was the only human experiencing adult life without intimacy.’
Praising Channel 4 for ‘shining light on a topic some people may typically tiptoe around,’ Emma added, ‘[This] made me realise that being over 21 and never having sex was not as rare as I thought it was. I think important attention is being brought to the fact that statistics show a significant decline in sexual activity since the 2000s.’
Holly
23 year old Holly revealed that she applied to Virgin Island after feeling ready for a new chapter. The dog groomer shared, ‘I felt like I was at a point in my life where I was ready to experience being with someone, but I had a lot of anxiety and questions about myself that I felt I had to work through before taking that step.’
Jason
Despite the show garnering some criticism, admin worker Jason insists his time on Virgin Island has made him ‘a million times better.’ The 25 year old said, ‘My intimacy life was non-existent and I decided to do something about it. Virgin Island was something out of my comfort zone but a necessity – it has made me a million times better!’
Louise
At just 22 years old, Louise has shared that it was one of her friends who inspired her to head off to the retreat. The care advisor said, ‘I never really imagined applying for a show like Virgin Island. My friend actually sent me the application as a joke, and I thought, “Why not?” I was at the point where I was willing to try anything and had just accepted that there must’ve been something wrong with me – I think the fact that my friends would see the word “virgin” and think of me says enough to be honest.’
Pia
Digital marketing assistant Pia, 23, has been praised by fans for raising awareness of Vaginismus on the show – a painful condition where the vaginal muscles involuntarily contract, making penetration difficult or impossible. Opening up about her condition, Pia shared, ‘I wanted to overcome the pain and anxiety I felt when exploring penetrative sex. Plus, I found intimacy incredibly overwhelming. Processing all of the intense emotions I felt was hard for me, whether they were positive or negative.’
Tom
Opening up about applying for the show, 23 year old Tom – who is currently a drama student – shared, ‘For the longest time, my virginity contributed to my self-identity. I always found myself to be a freak because I struggled to lose it whilst others around me continued to pop their cherries. It severely affected my mental health, filling me with self-loathing which in turn made me a worse person.’
Adding that he applied for Virgin Island at a ‘incredibly low point, Tom revealed, ‘The decision came shortly after New Year’s 2023/24, which I had spent alone after a year in which I had lost most of my friends, as well as my self-confidence.’
Taylor
When asked why she applied for the show, 29 year old receptionist Taylor shared, ‘I guess you could say Virgin Island came at the right time for me. I spent my whole (adult) life wondering why I found sexual things so difficult when others didn’t.’
‘When I was a teenager, I didn’t understand why people wanted to have sex. The risks seemed to far outweigh the benefits, and to be honest, the only benefit anyone spoke of was babies – and I certainly wasn’t ready for one of those!’
Viraj
Revealing that he found it a ‘massive struggle to express myself in front of women,’ Viraj, 25, applied for the show in hopes of overcoming his barriers with intimacy. The personal trainer shared, ‘For me, it wasn’t about the intimacy stage, but more with the confidence side of talking to women and making small talk. This whole idea was encouraged by my friends for me to get out of my comfort zone and go through with this.’
Zac
On applying for the show, delivery driver Zac, 28, shared, ‘I first heard about the casting on social media. There was a man reporting that Channel 4 was looking for adult virgins to take part in an experimental TV show. This was of course describing me! [laughs]’
He added, ‘At first I was like, no way, I’m not gonna do that. But I started to think about it more and more, and I realised that I wasn’t really getting anywhere by myself. Time was just passing be my with no real positive change.’
Who are the experts on Virgin Island?
Now you've met the contestants, it's time to meet the experts. By that, we mean the intimacy coaches guiding the virgins on their journey of self discovery...
Dr. Danielle Harel
Dr. Danielle Harel is a sex and relationship coach with a PhD in Human Sexuality, a graduate degree in Clinical Social Work, and a Bachelors in Psychology and Educational Counselling. She loves her work, saying, 'I love being in erotic energy with people. It helps me to remember to connect with my erotic energy every day.'
Celeste Hirschman
Fellow sexpert on the show is Celeste, who is the co-creator of the Somatica Method (alongside Dr. Danielle). Describing people as 'endlessly fascinating,' Celeste said, 'There's always more to learn and new ways to help people grow.'
Alongside Celeste and Danielle, there's also a slew of other experts who appear...
Kat Slade
Surrogate partner therapist Kat describes herself as being ‘dedicated to helping individuals move through physical and emotional barriers to achieve greater intimacy and sexual expression.’ Kat has a Master of Arts Degree from New York University, a BA from Evergreen State college, and is a certified Reiki trainer.
Joy Rigel
Emotional intimacy coach Joy has over two decades of experience, describing herself as using ‘experiential custom-tailored coaching’ to support those ‘who feel disconnected’ from their bodies, relationships, or their own ‘aliveness.’
Andrew Lazarus
Andrew is a surrogate partner therapist based in San Francisco, professionally trained in addressing issues of intimacy and sexuality within clients. Prior to entering the world of therapy, he served in the Marine Corps Office.
Andrew has been in a non-monogamous relationship with a woman for 10 years, who he says supports his work as a surrogate partner therapist. ‘With her support, I learned that I had a powerful gift to connect with people in a sexual space, helping to open up sexual desires, removing shame around sexual exploration, and healing old wounds around abuse and sexual trauma,’ he shared.
Devah Curlecheile
Devah is a sensuality coach, who works with individuals that hope to connect with themselves on a more intimate level.
Aisha Paris Smith
Aisha is a sexological bodyworker who specialises in somatic coaching. Her website reads, ‘This work is about more than pleasure – it’s about finding safety, freeing self-expression and integrating shadow.’ She was nominated Sexological Bodyworker of the Year in 2025, and has featured in The Sunday Times.
Thomas Rocourt
Sexological bodyworker Thomas writes on his website, ‘I’m here to help you achieve greater freedom and grace in your life, moving you towards a deeper, more joyful relationship with intimacy, and conscious sexuality.’
Where can I watch Virgin Island?
To watch episodes of the series, head over to Channel 4 – with new episodes airing every Monday and Tuesday.
Charlotte Roberts is a News and Entertainment Writer for Grazia, writing interviews and features around everything pop culture.