Ofcom Dismisses Over 14,000 Complaints Against ‘Love Island’
Table of Contents
Published August 19,2025
the Scale of Viewer Concern
the latest season of the popular reality television show Love island
sparked a significant wave of viewer complaints,wiht a total of 14,167 submitted to the UK’s broadcasting regulator,Ofcom. This includes 24 complaints specifically regarding the spin-off show, Love Island: Unseen Bits
. The highest single-day volume of complaints - 3,549 – occurred on July 24th,largely focused on alleged bullying directed towards contestant Shakira Khan.
Specific allegations and Concerns
Beyond the incidents involving Shakira khan, complaints also centered on alleged bullying of fellow contestants Toni Laites, Yasmin Pettet, Meg Moore, and Helena Ford. Viewers also expressed concerns regarding the mental health of participants throughout the series,and the behavior of Dejon Noel-Williams towards Meg Moore. additional complaints raised issues of potential race and gender-based discrimination, and also the show’s decision to reintroduce Megan Forte Clarke after her initial elimination from the villa.
Ofcom’s response and Rationale
Despite the substantial number of complaints, Ofcom has confirmed that it has rejected them all after careful assessment. An Ofcom spokesperson stated that while emotionally charged scenes can understandably upset viewers, the negative behaviors observed within the villa were not presented in a positive light, and instances of support and apology between contestants were also shown. Furthermore, Ofcom acknowledged the established format of Love Island
as a reality show inherently designed to showcase both the highs and lows of relationships and friendships.
Season Overview and Legacy
The twelfth season of Love Island
, hosted by Maya Jama, ran from June 9th to August 4th. Toni Laites and Cach Mercer were crowned the winners, while Shakira Khan and Harry Cooksley finished as runners-up. The show’s enduring popularity is evidenced by its history of successful couples,including past winners Ekin-su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti,Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer,and Kem cetinay and Amber Davies (tho the latter pair later separated). Notably,several couples who didn’t win,such as Olivia Buckland and alex Bowen,Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury,and Dami Hope and Indiyah Polack,have maintained long-term relationships.
ITV, the broadcaster of Love Island
, declined to provide a comment regarding the complaints received.
