Here’s everything to know…
Love Island is back on our screens, meaning that around 3 million of us now have no social lives whatsoever, instead living our best lives through this year’s islanders, ahem Amy and Curtis.
But while Tommy’s continuous love triangles and Lucy’s spreading of ‘Bev’ have caused the most news, it was islander Sherif Lanre that got everyone talking this week, as it was announced that the 20-year-old had been axed from the show, told to leave the villa after breaking the rules.
‘After breaking the villa rules Sherif had conversations with the producers and it was mutually agreed that he would leave the Love Island villa,’ announced a spokesperson for the show, with Sherif since releasing the following statement:
‘In a case of poor judgement, I broke the villa rules and as a result agreed with the producers that it was best for me to leave the villa. I regret that I didn’t conduct myself in the right way and, as a 20 year old guy, it’s something I know I will take on board and learn from. I really enjoyed my time in the villa and look forward to catching up with everyone on the outside.’
So, what actually are the Love Island rules?
No nudity
It is reported that islanders are not allowed to be naked in the villa, with the house classed as a public space. Apparently islanders must even wear their swimming costumes in the shower.
No masturbating
While Love Island contestants are allowed to have sex, masturbating is apparently taboo in the villa.
No inappropriate behaviour or language
Inappropriate and aggressive behaviour and language is strictly forbidden, with security on hand to get involved if necessary. Throw back to series two’s Malia-Kady-gate.
No excessive drinking
In the early days of Love Island, there were fewer rules around drinking, but now according to ex-islanders, there’s a limit. ‘You’re allowed one or two drinks a night,’ ex-islander Liana Isadora Van-Riel disclosed, via The Sun. ‘Either wine or beer, no spirits’.
No unsafe sex
While islanders are allowed to have sex during their time in the villa, they have to use condoms, with the rule reportedly being enforced in a rulebook sent to contestants before they enter the villa.
No smoking inside the villa or villa garden
While in the earlier seasons, smoking was allowed, it was announced this year that this was no longer the case. ‘There will be no smoking within the Love Island villa or the villa garden this year,’ an ITV spokesperson announced. ‘Producers have provided a designated smoking area outside the villa where Islanders will be able to have a cigarette if they chose to.’ However it is reported that they can only go for a cigarette one at a time.
No phones or prohibited items
Part of the point of Love Island is to cut them off from the outside world, prohibited from taking their own phones or personal items into the villa with them. The contestants do of course have phones on the show to receive announcements from producers, but these are provided by the show and are unable to do anything but communicate with those in Love Island. 'They give you these basic little phones where you can text each other but nobody really uses them,’ ex-islander Liana Isadora Van-Riel told The Sun. ‘They're only really there for the whole “I’ve got a text” aspect.’
It is not yet known how Sherif broke the show’s rules, but we’re sure to find out soon.
