Love Island’s Caroline Flack responds to body diversity criticism

Caroline Flack has responded to criticism over Love Island’s apparent lack of ‘body diversity’.

The first Love Island 2019 contestants were revealed this week and almost immediately attracted criticism.

One of those speaking up was actress and body positivity campaigner Jameela Jamil.

“The producers of Love Island think this slim woman counts as their new token ‘plus size’ contestant? Are they drunk?” she tweeted alongside pictures of the contestants.

However Caroline hit back: “I wonder if she’s actually watched it, because it isn’t about what you see on face value.”

She told The Sun newspaper: “I’m a massive fan of Jameela and what she stands for. I’m not in any way putting her down, I really like her.

“Of course, people will look at things on face value and judge them, but the show is so much more than that, it really is.”

Others who have hit out at the line up include reality star Lucy Mecklenburgh who posted to social media: “Sorry to 2 b negative as so many are super excited about Love Island. Just to be clear I’m not body shaming them for being this size/shape but why not mix it up a bit!! but y are all the girls size 6-8 & all the guys have a six pack?”

Former Islander Malin Andersson also appeared to take a swipe at the show, commenting on the new line up: “And I thought they would have some diversity. Meh”

But Caroline insisted: “You can only cast a show on who’s right for it, in a relationship sense. It’s a dating show. You can only choose out of the people that apply.

“They’ve just got to be right in that moment, they don’t cast it because of what they look like, it’s who’s in the right moment.”

Meanwhile, Love Island boss Richard Cowles said of the complaints: “We try and be as representative and diverse as possible but first and foremost it’s an entertainment show.

“It’s about people wanting to watch and them reacting and falling in love with another. Yes, we want to be as representative as possible but we also want them to be attracted to one another.

“I’m not saying everyone that’s in there is how you’re supposed to look, what we’re saying is they are a group of people we want to watch for eight weeks and we want to watch them fall in love.”

Love Island 2019 begins on Monday, June 3.