Contestants for Love Island’s winter season include a semi-professional rugby player who also teaches PE. A farmer who meditates, and an actress who is a body duplicate for Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson.
Love Island has announced the participation of its first partially-sighted candidate.
Ron Hall, a 25-year-old financial advisor from Essex, is one of the Islanders traveling to a villa in South Africa for the ninth season. The first post-pandemic winter series.
Hall, who lost the sight in one eye at the age of eight while playing football. Claims that his injury has never “impeded” him in life.
As a result of the accident, his eyes are now blue and green. Which he claims has “added to his character.”
Tasha Ghouri, the first deaf candidate on Love Island, placed fourth in the final with her lover Andrew Le Page last summer.
Blind England player Rainbow Mbuangi praised the presence of a partially sighted competitor on the show. Stating, “The show has been criticized in the past for its lack of diversity, therefore it is encouraging that more is being done to address that.
“I sincerely hope that other television series would seek to diversify their participants and actors to dispel stereotypes about people with disabilities.”
This year, the reality program has included the new duty of care procedures. Including a requirement that all competitors refrain from using social media for the duration of the season. And expanded instruction in behavior and relationships.
The new welfare measures will support contributors before, during, and after filming. According to ITV and Lifted Entertainment (which is a division of ITV Studios).
Before entering the villa, Islanders will get training on mutually respectful behavior in relationships. Behavior patterns associated with controlling and coercive behavior, and inclusive language surrounding disability, sexuality, color, and ethnicity, as well as microaggressions.
They will also see a DVD featuring interviews with former Islanders conducted by the show’s executive producer and head of welfare.
In 2018, Adam Collard was accused of gaslighting fellow contestant Rosie Williams. In 2018, Adam Collard returned to the villa for the summer series.
Maya Jama, age 28, will host the winter season premiering on ITV2 and ITVX next Monday at 9 p.m.
Other confirmed competitors include a semi-professional rugby player, a farmer who meditates. And an actress who has been Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson’s body double.
