MEGAN Barton Hanson has hit out at ITV bosses behind Love Island after producers said a LGBT version would be ‘logistical difficult’.
The 27-year-old, who rose to fame as a contestant on the dating show in 2018 and came out as bisexual after her stint, said she thinks the show will be “more interesting if they had an all gay line-up”.
She also voiced how she doesn’t believe the current show of “chucking in one bisexual person” is working for the show.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Megan said: “I get why they are hesitant to do it, but I don’t think it’s working when they [producers] chuck in one bisexual person.
“I think with the whole tokenism thing, the girls just end up with the guy, maybe to stay on the show longer, I don’t know. If they had an all gay line-up, it would just be so much more interesting to watch.”
She continued by saying if there was an LGBT+ cast the contestants could be tempted by anyone new coming it, adding it “would be much juicier.”
The star said she feels the current style of the show is “predictable” but if it was an LGBT+ cast the contestants could be tested by “anyone new who walks in”.
Megan also revealed that a lot of people who follow her and are from the LGBT+ community and have shared how they are keen for a “queer Love Island”.
In terms of when the queer version should air Megan suggested bosses get rid of the winter version and instead replace it with an LGBT+ one.
Speaking to the publication, Megan said: “I think they should have one straight one and one queer one, that would be great and quite interesting too rather than having the same thing twice in one year.
“I think people need to see representation because it’s just not out there enough.”
It comes after ITV’s commissioner Amada Stavri revealed that while the new series will have “greater inclusivity and diversity”, gay Islanders won’t be included as they won’t fit in with the show’s format.
“There’s been quite a few rumours circulating about featuring gay Islanders, so it’s worth touching on that really,” Amada told the Radio Times.
“The line-up will be announced within time and it goes without saying that we want to encourage greater inclusivity and diversity.”
But Amanda said the “logistical difficulty” stands in the way of the series featuring both straight and gay contestants.
“In terms of gay Islanders, I think the main challenge is regarding the format of Love Island,” she said.
“There’s a sort of logistical difficulty, because although Islanders don’t have to be 100 per cent straight, the format must sort of give [the] Islanders an equal choice when coupling up.
“With our dating shows, such as The Cabins, there is much more sexual diversity.
“The formats don’t have as much restrictions as Love Island.
“So we’re very sort of mindful of that across our programming on ITV and dating series. But that’s the difficulty with Love Island.”
