Love Island bosses 'vow to support stars' families during and after show
They're making changes to the show
Love Island bosses will be providing greater support to the contestants on series five of the hit show following the deaths of former cast members Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon.
The popular ITV2 show, which returns in June, have changed the contracts of contestants to extend support to family members of the 2019 Islanders.
A TV source has revealed, "They're taking their duty of care very seriously which is why they've written the support for families into the contract for the first time. Love Island is a fun show. They want to keep it positive."
The producers are said to be "taking no chances" with the new season, with extensive measures put in place to ensure the contestants have access to mental health support with a psychologist on call at all times.
Love Island has come under pressure in recent months for their aftercare policy after Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon took their own lives. Sophie Gradon, 32, passed away in June of last year while Mike Thalassitis, 26, was found dead near his home in March.
While the new series will not be paying tribute to Mike Thalassitis on screen, the increased mental health support for the 2019 islanders will be welcomed by fans of the show.
As part of Bauer Media's Where's Your Head At? campaign, a number of former contestants, including last year's winner Dani Dyer and Megan Barton-Hanson have spoken out about their own struggles with mental health.
"When I first came out of villa it was so difficult," Megan said. "I was on such a high but then I read some comments on a news article about me - they were absolutely awful."
News of the changes to the Love Island contracts comes after another ITV programme, The Jeremy Kyle Show, was axed this week after a distraught guest passed away just days after failing a lie detector test on the popular daytime show.
Another former Love Island star, Malin Andersson, called for "extraordinary aftercare" in the wake of the cancellation news.
The controversial host said he and the production team were "utterly devastated by the recent events" in a statement after ITV CEO Carolyn McCall confirmed that they were ending production of the program.
If you're struggling with your mental health, Samaritans can provide 24/7 confidential support on their free helpline. Dial 116 113.