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Original poster

To not want my son to be on Love Island

84 replies

gotthetaste · 14/03/2023 14:16

My son does some modelling and is on Instagram with a few thousand followers (which is not that unusual).

Prior to this current series, he was contacted, via his modelling agency, about going on Love Island.

For various reasons I didn't want him to do it, the main one being the negative effect it can have on contestant's mental health.

He has some quirky ways (which we all
do) and I wouldn't want to see things splashed about him all over the papers.

It was obviously his decision as he's an adult, but I'm so glad he decided against pursuing it!

Out of interest, I just wondered if anyone would have encouraged their kids to go on it?

OP posts:
malificent7 · 14/03/2023 16:28

See op.....people on here are already calling your son narcissistic with NO knowledge of him or his history thus proving just how nasty the public can be.

Justalittlebitduckling · 14/03/2023 16:30

No I agree with you.

Isledelaray · 14/03/2023 16:30

I've watched a few series. It depends on how my son turns out to be honest! If he's like me, absolutely not. If he's like his dad, then he'd probably be ok.

I'm not a snob so wouldn't mind at all for that reason. Each to their own!

TonTonMacoute · 14/03/2023 16:34

God no!

There is a world of difference between a modelling career and LI.

TwoLeftSocksWithHoles · 14/03/2023 16:35

I've not seen Love Island but in the past I whiled away a lot of time at work watching 'Johnny Castaway' that was my screen saver.
I felt I got to know him quite well.

OopsAnotherOne · 14/03/2023 16:36

I know a girl who went on in 2021 as she was my Partner's tattoo artist for a few years before she went on Love Island.

We spent several hours in her shop with her while she did the tattoos and she was so lovely, down to earth, really kind, friendly etc but how the media portrayed her was completely unlike any experience we'd ever had with her. It was gutting to see how nasty the papers were about her and the disgusting comments on social media about someone they'd never even met. I did feel bad for her, but she did seem the sort to have a good level of self-confidence to let those comments become water off a duck's back.

No matter how confident someone is when going into Love Island, the abuse from the media that can be received, the scrutiny into their background and past life, the comments from thousands of people who don't know them personally etc can push someone over the edge, even if they thought they were going to be able to ignore it.

pilates · 14/03/2023 16:36

I agree with you op. I wouldn’t want it for my children. It’s brutal. I think the programme has run its course along with IACGMOOH.

Hearmeout · 14/03/2023 16:38

gotthetaste · 14/03/2023 14:16

My son does some modelling and is on Instagram with a few thousand followers (which is not that unusual).

Prior to this current series, he was contacted, via his modelling agency, about going on Love Island.

For various reasons I didn't want him to do it, the main one being the negative effect it can have on contestant's mental health.

He has some quirky ways (which we all
do) and I wouldn't want to see things splashed about him all over the papers.

It was obviously his decision as he's an adult, but I'm so glad he decided against pursuing it!

Out of interest, I just wondered if anyone would have encouraged their kids to go on it?

My daughter was also approached to go on it a couple of years ago (she was only 18 at that point), she was intrigued and had the online initial consultation etc and the next stage was to go somewhere in person I think to do some different tests etc at which point she met he boyfriend of the time and lost interest. I wouldn't have wanted her to go on it for her own mental health and I'm glad she had enough about her to take herself out of the running for it and her ego didn't get the better of her.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/03/2023 16:39

Fromwetome · 14/03/2023 14:18

I would feel ashamed as a parent that he fit the criteria since narcissistic traits seem to feature strongly in each individual that's on that Shit show.

What a horrible comment. The OP didn’t say her son fit the criteria - just that he was contacted and decided not to pursue it. Considering you say it’s a Shit show you seem to know a lot about it.

Original poster
gotthetaste · 14/03/2023 16:41

malificent7 · 14/03/2023 16:28

See op.....people on here are already calling your son narcissistic with NO knowledge of him or his history thus proving just how nasty the public can be.

People are so nasty and quick to judge. This is exactly the reason I wouldn't want him to be on the show.

To clarify for the nasty posters on here
(and I shouldn't have to clarify) he's anything but narcissistic, which is why he didn't want to pursue it ...

He was Head Boy at school and is an ambassador for a large charity. He has spoken at the House of Commons in support of his charity work. He's kind and humble.

I didn't want to post this update but I'm not prepared to have him called nasty things.

I'm out of here as people are so judgemental!

Thank goodness I changed my username!

OP posts:
Hearmeout · 14/03/2023 16:45

gotthetaste · 14/03/2023 16:41

People are so nasty and quick to judge. This is exactly the reason I wouldn't want him to be on the show.

To clarify for the nasty posters on here
(and I shouldn't have to clarify) he's anything but narcissistic, which is why he didn't want to pursue it ...

He was Head Boy at school and is an ambassador for a large charity. He has spoken at the House of Commons in support of his charity work. He's kind and humble.

I didn't want to post this update but I'm not prepared to have him called nasty things.

I'm out of here as people are so judgemental!

Thank goodness I changed my username!

Show quote history

You don't need to clarify anything but to be honest, you can be head boy etc etc and be a high achieving good person and still go on love island, it's not as if these people are total losers they just tend to be genetically blessed.

To the person who says some dribble about our kids being invited to audition for LI is a reflection of our shit parenting - what ARE you on about exactly?

Restlessinthenorth · 14/03/2023 16:46

I know someone who went on it. She's quite publically shared that it has destroyed her life to this point. She's told me on numerous occasions to shield my daughter from even watching it.

So no, I definitely wouldn't encourage it, but neither would I judge anyone for it! Some of the comments on here are unbelievable. I'd rather my kids me fame hungry than nasty, judgmental and with a misplaced superiority complex

Rosscameasdoody · 14/03/2023 16:48

oakleaffy · 14/03/2023 15:33

Is this a stealth boast, Op?!
Your son isn’t going on love island- so what’s the point of it, apart from saying he’s a model and has Instagram followers?! 😂

My neighbour’s daughter went on Blind Date years ago, and it was so scripted and awful.

It wasn’t good for her well-being.

Didn’t come across as a stealth boast to me - or to all the people who are answering the perfectly valid question the OP asked as to whether others would be happy if their children went on it.

Rosscameasdoody · 14/03/2023 16:50

gotthetaste · 14/03/2023 16:41

People are so nasty and quick to judge. This is exactly the reason I wouldn't want him to be on the show.

To clarify for the nasty posters on here
(and I shouldn't have to clarify) he's anything but narcissistic, which is why he didn't want to pursue it ...

He was Head Boy at school and is an ambassador for a large charity. He has spoken at the House of Commons in support of his charity work. He's kind and humble.

I didn't want to post this update but I'm not prepared to have him called nasty things.

I'm out of here as people are so judgemental!

Thank goodness I changed my username!

Show quote history

Another OP chased off her own thread by arseholes !!

Fenty1 · 14/03/2023 16:56

Fromwetome · 14/03/2023 14:18

I would feel ashamed as a parent that he fit the criteria since narcissistic traits seem to feature strongly in each individual that's on that Shit show.

That is such an awful and unnecessary comment. My son has also modelled and I am very proud of this. I would also be against him going on LI but would be secretly chuffed he had been asked!

pilates · 14/03/2023 16:56

No, it didn’t come across as a stealth boast op. It was an interesting post.

threeplusmum · 14/03/2023 17:01

I have all female children who are quite young and by the time they are old enough to apply etc I'd hope that God awful programme would cease to exist. My eldest is a bit of an attention seeker and extroverted but she is still very young and could change ways but I'd hope she would be too intelligent to want to go on a show like that when she is much much older.

TakeMeToKernow · 14/03/2023 17:05

A closeish family member is also an instagramer. 15k followers, but it’s just a hobby. She doesn’t make any money from it, but gets free stuff and has travelled a bit. She’s been invited on, but we asked her not to (for her mental health. And cos people are judgey) and she happily declined. I’d support her if she wanted to though, because she’s so super sweet and has the worst romantic life.

Ponoka7 · 14/03/2023 17:07

One of my DD's was going to go on One born every minute. She was going to be a late teen Mum and have a home birth. Her reasoning was to give others confidence. She got in touch with a previous neighbour who had been on a earlier type show and after hearing about the abuse she and her family members got, decided against it. The likes of LI could easily break someone, so for that reason I wouldn't want my DD's to take part. My eldest could have went in an early Big Brother and the money was tempting, I wasn't against it, but was happy she didn't take part.

Hearmeout · 14/03/2023 17:11

Not to add a stealth boast but I was on Tipping Point ten years ago (yes still dining out on it 🤣) and once you've been on that you get harrassed to go on all sorts of other shows too, so that's another angle because I imagine once you've been on LI, its going to be celebs go dating, ex on the beach and all that other garbage. For me it was just the Chase and similar but it's a slippery slope you know 🤣

Thehonestbadger · 14/03/2023 17:18

So this isn’t about love island but I do think it’s relevant and potentially interesting RE parents disliking kids on reality TV.

Good few years ago I was living in London and by chance ended up dating a guy whose family owned a massive company. Anyways, made in Chelsea had just become a BIG deal it was in the early seasons and they would literally leaflet (no joke) the Chelsea townhouses where boyfriend lived. They were desperate to pull in as many big names/families as possible but the parents had caught wind of this and there was a blanket ban on pretty much every child in boyfriends circles that they would basically be disinherited if they so much as appeared in the background of a scene 😂

’No respectable family would let their child within an inch of that show’ it ruined MIC for me tbh as I was a bit of a fan before I met boyfriend. In the moneyed Chelsea circles it was basically love island and only those whose family money was in hospitality/leisure or wanted to be ‘Instagram famous’ would go on it 😂

Sarah2891 · 14/03/2023 17:24

oakleaffy · 14/03/2023 16:21

Three suicides?
That’s awful.
x Factor features and exploits vulnerable people, too in my opinion-
One poor girl also committed suicide after being terribly trolled online.
Her clips are financial gold to the programme creators.

Show quote history

Two contestants and the presenter Caroline Flack

Cocobutt · 14/03/2023 17:36

Tbh I don’t think I’d want my DD being famous at all.

They are exploited by the ones around them and then torn to shreds by strangers.

If she was to become famous then I’d hope it was for talent and not by being on something like love island.

I would strongly discourage it but i would support her if she chose to go ahead and do it anyway.

MotherOfHouseplants · 14/03/2023 17:56

Fromwetome · 14/03/2023 14:18

I would feel ashamed as a parent that he fit the criteria since narcissistic traits seem to feature strongly in each individual that's on that Shit show.

Except he didn't fit the fundamental criterion of saying yes when asked Hmm

Pinkmagic1 · 14/03/2023 17:57

I would be mortified and embarrassed if mine chose to go on this show.