A study of all 259 alumni from eight previous series was instructive. More than half have returned to their former jobs. Only 11 per cent have landed six-figure brand contracts. A number of them are selling themselves on subscription site OnlyFans, some by stripping off.
We saw one of last summer’s contestants, Coco Lodge, struggling to earn a living as an influencer – she eventually went back to being a “shot girl” in Windsor nightclubs. She explained to the surprised punters that Love Islanders are effectively paid £250 per week, less than minimum wage, while on-screen. When the cameras stop rolling, they struggle to monetise their increased social media followings, let alone convert fleeting fame into sustainable careers.
We also saw how they collude with paparazzi to stage “spontaneous” photographs, and how influencers stockpile “content” to release over the course of a month, packaging it as daily updates. This reality lark isn’t terribly real. “It’s a big hustle, basically,” admitted 2020 winner Paige Turley.
According to the statistics, it’s white women who leave the villa as half of a couple who prove most popular online. Series six alumna Shaughna Phillips even has political ambitions. “If I can get on Love Island, I can get into Downing Street,” she said. Words to chill the soul.
Like or loathe it, Love Island’s ninth series launches next Monday. To head off criticism, ITV has announced new duty-of-care measures, mental health support and enhanced training around behaviour in relationships. A documentary about this might have been less fluffy but it would have been far more worthwhile.
Life After Love Island: Untold is on All4 now and on Channel 4 at 11.05pm on Tuesday 10 January
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