New ITV storm after tearful Love Island star Jacques O’Neill was ‘pressured to appear on spin-off’ show Aftersun
ITV was engaged in a war of words last night amid claims that a Love Island contestant felt coerced into appearing on the spinoff program to talk about his ordeal on the show.
Sources claimed that Jacques O’Neill felt he had little choice but to agree to an interview with the host Laura Whitmore on his Aftersun show because it was written into his contract.
But friends feel his reluctance should have been apparent to the producers, given his obvious grief over the circumstances in which he decided to leave the show.
An informed source confirmed the rugby league player was unhappy about appearing on Aftersun after being left distraught when the former contestant Adam Collard, who has a reputation as a womanizer, was included in the current series by ITV producers. Collard quickly started flirting with O’Neill’s girlfriend Paige Thorne.
Jacques O’Neil, 23, was visibly saddened by his relationship with Paige Thorne (right) as he left the Love Island villa
O’Neil on Love Island spin-off show Aftersun after leaving the villa – sources say he felt pressured to appear on the show with host Laura Whitmore because it was in his contract
In a newspaper interview after leaving the show’s villa, O’Neill described his participation in Love Island as “the worst decision” of his life, adding: “I cried my eyes out. I couldn’t handle it. I literally felt terrible. It was the worst I’d ever felt in my life, I cried and said to them, “I’m ready to go home.”
Rounding up to ITV, which has been forced to fend off claims it’s doing too little to support the mental health of Love Island contestants, the source said: ‘Jacques kept saying he wasn’t good enough mentally. That was clearly the case, especially if you read what he said after he got out of the villa.’
But ITV last night flatly rejected claims it pressured O’Neill to appear on Aftersun, stressing that it is “sincerely committed to ensuring the islanders have a positive experience with the show” and that producers “will accept the decision of would respect an islander if they didn’t’. “I don’t want to participate and we will never force anyone to join the program.”
The feud once again focuses the spotlight on broadcasters who are faced with balancing a desire for dramatic television to entice viewers and the need to protect the contestants.
Allies of O’Neill also criticized ITV for showing a video of Collard – including footage of him kissing Miss Thorne – just before the 23-year-old sportsman was interviewed by Ms Whitmore on Aftersun last Sunday.
On a July 12 episode, O’Neill was seen sobbing as he told his co-stars he was leaving the villa over concerns over the arrival of 27-year-old Collard.
Days earlier, O’Neill’s sister had revealed that he is “struggling with his emotions” because he has ADHD.
ITV declined to comment on the participants’ contractual obligations, but a spokesperson said “aftersun is usually part of every islander’s itinerary after they leave the villa.”