Love Island bosses ‘ditches lie detector test’ for new series

Love Island bosses are said to have ditched the show’s ‘lie detector’ twist for 2019.

It’s claimed producers have cut the task out of this year’s fifth series in a bid to “clean up the show”.

It follows ITV unveiling updated duty of care procedures for Love Island contestants in the wake of the deaths of former Islanders Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.

This month the government launched an inquiry into the way TV shows looked after participants following the death of a guest who appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show.

ITV subsequently announced plans to stop airing the programme altogether after 14 years.

A source shared with The Sun newspaper: “A series of top-level meetings have been held over the past few weeks with regard to safety measures and duty of care procedures.

“One of the issues raised was the lie detector. The feeling was, in the wake of the Jeremy Kyle case, bosses must be whiter than white — they cannot mess with people’s emotions.”

The insider added: “While nothing is set in stone and ideas change on an almost daily basis, at the moment there are no plans to bring the ­polygraphs back.”

Another regular Love Island feature, its iconic Casa Amor villa could also be set to disappear in 2019.

The ITV2 series has regularly featured the second villa, using it to put relationships on the show to the test.

Despite all of the drama it created, it may not be back for this year’s series.

Instead show bosses are said to be planning new and bigger twists to keep Islanders “on their toes”.

Last week ITV detailed its duty of care processes to Islanders ahead of the new series.

Creative Director ITV Studios Entertainment Richard Cowles said in a statement: “We’re very excited that Love Island is back for another series. It is the nation’s favourite dating show and we have a fabulous new cast of young singles all looking for love and ready for a summer of romance in the iconic Love Island villa.

“The format of the new series will be familiar to Love Island viewers and we can’t wait to see how the new Islanders take to life in the villa and how relationships blossom.

“We hope that viewers will be hooked as they watch these young singles fall in love – hopefully it will be a summer to remember for both the Islanders and our viewers.”

The new series of Love Island 2019 launches on Monday, June 3.