IT’S been a busy few days in the Love Island villa, with sparks flying between new – and established – couples.
Fans of the ITV2 reality show have been lapping up the drama, and haven’t held back when they felt a contestant had stepped out of line.
This week some viewers accused Luca Bish of becoming aggressive towards partner Gemma Owen when she accidentally called him by her ex-boyfriend’s name.
The awkward moment came after rugby hunk Jacques O’Neill entered the villa as a bombshell.
One fan remarked on Twitter that the fish salesman’s jealousy was out of proportion and “a big red flag”.
TV psychologist Jo Hemmings says Love Island viewers have become “highly skilled” in spotting red flags in developing relationships.
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She says: “Over the years we have seen all sorts of behaviour, from those that don’t make any effort to crack on or take their partners for granted, to those that are insecure, needy or even coercive.
“It is tempting to think that it’s only the guys that show ‘red flags’, whether through being assertive, possessive or gaslighting their partners.
“But actually it can just as easily be the girls who display that sort of behaviour.”
Here Jo analyses the couples in the villa – and reveals the ones she believes are showing signs of being on the rocks.
‘Suffocating’
Smitten Luca has been coupled up with Gemma since her short-lived relationship with bombshell Davide Sanclimenti – who stole her from Liam Llewellyn – broke down.
But it hasn’t smooth-sailing, with the pair having their first bust-up earlier this week.
Jo observes: “Luca is definitely insecure in the early days of his relationship with Gemma and moving pretty fast, ignoring any messages that he is or isn’t getting from her and determinedly going at his own pace, irrespective of what she is saying or how she is responding.
“He has shown signs of controlling behaviour, assertion and jealousy. This kind of behaviour can rob someone of their space and independence and it can feel emotionally too fast-paced and suffocating.
“Generally this results in an outcome where someone is likely to pull away rather than grow closer to them.”
Jo adds: “We have to bear in mind that the red flags we see in the villa might not actually be wholly representative of behaviour on the outside, as the nature of competition with the other contestants, the surprises of ever-hotter new arrivals, and being surrounded by scantily clad beauties 24/7 can amplify and influence the sort of behaviour that might be acceptable in a normal dating environment.”
‘Signs of misogyny’
Jacques came into the villa as a bombshell – and he’s certainly stirring things up, primarily because he’s Gemma’s ex-boyfriend.
The pair dated for eight months, with Gemma even introducing him to her dad Michael. Jacques is currently coupled up with Paige Thorne.
Jo says: “Jacques is in the unique position of being the only ex in the villa, having previously dated Gemma, and he is still flirting with her openly and being suggestive about a possible reconciliation.
“He is also showing signs of misogyny and arrogance in his body language gestures and words to some of the other girls.
“Additionally he seems pretty threatened by the new guys that have come in, putting up some macho boundaries in the face of that threat.”
Playing a ‘strong game’
Charming Jay has certainly turned heads in the villa, but he’s not got the best track record.
One of his former flames compared him to psychopath Joe Goldberg from the Netflix thriller You, while another claimed he promised her a serious future and then ditched her for Love Island.
Jo says the “dishy and charming” Jay is “definitely playing a strong strategic game”.
“Jay claims he isn’t in the villa to make friends and had a bit of an alpha-male bicker with Jacques a very short time after entering the villa,” she explains.
“He is essentially a disrupter, quick to find the flaws in current relationships and move into any space left behind.
“Over his three-course meal he pretty much told each of the girls – Tasha, Ekin-Su and Amber – that they were all the girl for him and he wanted to know them better.
“While he made them all feel special, ignoring the fact that the girls are going to be swapping notes, any coupling he is going to have will be all about him.”
Heartbreaker
Stunning Ekin-Su has no qualms about going after what she wants in the villa – no matter whose toes she tramples on.
The Turkish soap actress snogged Jay last night despite being coupled up with Davide – who as yet has no idea.
Jo said: “She is a bit like Marmite, love her or loathe her, straight-talking Ekin-su is what we might think of as a player.
“She is tempted by each new and shinier physique, and while quite demanding in what she wants from Davide, is equally happy making the first move and going in for a snog with anyone she fancies and not giving a hoot about it.
“She may or may not show red flags when she finally couples up with someone she really fancies, but she is very clear in what she wants.
“She may leave someone broken-hearted if she doesn’t get it, or will simply hit on the next hot guy that enters the villa.
“She is becoming more brazen by the minute, what with the measures she went to in order to sneak a snog with Jay on the terrace.”
Other than playing ‘dumb’ when she was caught out by Davide, JO adds that there is such a candour and openness about Ekin-Su’s intent and behaviour, she is hard to dislike.
Secret flirt
Having started out as a fan favourite, Tasha raised eyebrows among viewers this week when she flirted with newcomer Jay, despite having been intimate with Andrew.
Jo says: “I think we were all a bit surprised by Tasha, who, having worked out early issues with Andrew, was so easily tempted by Jay in saying that she and Andrew had to agreed to get to know other people.
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“I am not sure Andrew would agree.
“The sweet, lovely girl we have seen up until now feels like she has a lot more flirt in her and is being a bit disloyal to Andrew – especially after their Hideaway night – and that may become a red flag for them.”
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