The reality TV dating show remains a winning formula despite being blamed for everything from body shaming to fast fashion
In 2017, Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood explained how she felt about her partner, Sam Gowland. “At the end of the day,” she said, “if you’re seeing a boy and you get the ick, it doesn’t go.” Six years later, and “the ick” is now part of our everyday dating parlance, joining “it is what it is”, “crack on” and “mugged off” in the lexicon popularised by the ITV show.
This season, the 10th, ends on Monday with one of four remaining couples declared the winner, taking home a £50,000 prize. Since it began in 2015, the show has influenced how we speak, what we wear, what our bodies look like, the memes we use on social media and how to decorate our gardens. The famous fire pit used in every show is now a staple in outdoor spaces across the UK.
