LOVE Island fans adore seeing the stars getting steamy – but many who have sex on screen regret their decision.
ITV2 is even cutting secret romps from the current series to avoid ruining the cast’s lives once they leave the villa, according to a source.
In previous series, sex sessions on the show were broadcast, but now producers are said to be making it less clear when islanders have done the deed.
“Obviously a lot of what happens in the villa doesn’t make it to air – a lot of things have gone down in the bedroom when lights go out, but producers are sparing cast’s blushes and cutting it out – just hinting at it with occasional shots, or airing conversations the cast have afterwards,” a source told HOAR.
Some viewers are even convinced that all of the current crop of islanders have gone all the way in the villa.
But some previous contestants on the programme and other reality shows say they’ll always regret cavorting under the covers on TV.
‘Never goes away’
One reality star explicitly warned this year’s islanders to avoid having sex on screen.
Jess Impiazzi, 31, said the singletons should be “careful” about what they get up to on TV as it “never goes away”.
During the 2015 series of Ex On The Beach, Jess had sex with castmate Rogan O’Connor – which she says nearly ruined her Hollywood career.
“I completely regret it, there are things in my life where I would love to take an eraser and wipe away but I can’t,” Jess said earlier this year.
“I suppose that’s the main message for any youngsters going onto the show.
“I’m 31, I see things very different than when I was 22 on the show – just be really mindful.”
Jess added: “I do know that Love Island have stopped airing sex scenes, which is a really positive thing, you do make these mistakes and you don’t see the long-term.”
‘I did get a bit intimate’
Jess shared the Ex On The Beach villa with someone else who came to regret her on-screen sex.
Megan McKenna, 28, romped with then-boyfriend Jordan Davies.
The couple returned to the show for the 2016 series as exes.
But in 2017, the Towie star said: “I have a few regrets from when I was on Ex On The Beach.
“I did get a bit intimate with one of my boyfriends on there, wish I didn’t.”
Megan added: “I know having sex on TV isn’t the best thing, but everybody does it.
“I don’t know why they make out that they don’t because they do.”
‘I’m so ashamed’
Love Island was much less censored in its first series – as Zoe Basia Brown found out.
Zoe, who was 24 during the 2015 series, had sex with partner Jordan Ring.
He memorably told her there was a “huge spider” in the bathroom – the only room without cameras – which she had to see.
They were then heard breathing heavily in the en suite.
Zoe later said she was uncomfortable taking part in a game where housemates had to pose in various sexual positions.
“They’re going to think I’m being a prude,” she said in the beach hut of her housemates “They don’t understand. They say, ‘Oh you’ve had sex in the house’ – but I regret that now.
“All this sexual banter makes me feel so uncomfortable. I’m so ashamed of my behaviour in this villa, I would never behave this way in the outside world.”
‘I’d turn back the clock’
Arguably one of the most infamous sex on screen rows was Zara Holland’s.
The beauty queen, 25, was stripped of her Miss GB crown after having sex with Alex Bowen in the Hideaway in 2016.
“I regret massively having sex on the show,” Zara told The Mirror in July.
She added: “If I could turn back the clock, I would.
“I know I didn’t do anything illegal, I was twenty at the time, there’s nothing to be ashamed of but yes, you know, it was the biggest regret.”
‘Wasn’t the best idea’
Montana Brown’s relationship with Alex Beattie only lasted a couple of weeks when they left the villa.
And Montana 25, came to look back on their hour-long sex sessions during the 2017 series with regret.
“In hindsight, having sex on TV wasn’t the best idea,” she said in 2018.
“My advice to the new hopefuls is not to do it.
“If I could have done it differently, I wouldn’t have had sex.”
She added: “It’s all everyone wants to speak about now.”
‘Mam stopped talking to me’
Geordie Shore fans adored the stars’ wild antics – but some of the cast now say they regret some of the sexier excesses.
Vicky Pattison, 33, even revealed that her family were mortified when they found out she had sex on screen with her then-partner Ricci Guarnaccio.
“The worst thing about having sex on TV was that my mam stopped speaking to me for ages when she found out,” Vicky told The Mirror.
“Yes, sometimes my language is appalling. I can be violent but those things mam can overlook. But having sex on TV is very different.”
‘Should have had less sex’
While some regret having sex on TV just once, Kem Cetinay’s remorse comes from the fact he had so much.
The 2017 series winner, 25, spoke earlier this year about his amorous stay in the villa with Amber Davies.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have had as much sex as I did – maybe once or twice would have been enough,” Kem said.
“Not as regular! But I loved the whole experience.”
He added: “Now I’ve got a business and I’ve got staff, and if new recruits search for me, some of the first articles that come up will be about me having sex on TV.”
‘I’m glad we had sex’
Not everyone who had sex on TV regrets their decision.
Jessica Shears, 27, believes it may have even helped cement her relationship with Dom Lever.
The pair married in 2018 after romping on the 2017 series of Love Island.
“I don’t regret having sex on TV as such,” she previously told HOAR. “It’s a bit strange that the whole nations knows about it.
“No one normally knows about your sexual relations but then at the end of the day if that worked for Dom and I, I’m glad that we did because I’m still with him now.”
Kady McDermott, 25, also didn’t regret her on-screen sex with boyfriend Scott Thomas in the 2016 series.
The couple even stayed together for 18 months after leaving the villa.
“I personally don’t regret having sex because it was with someone I was actually with and loved,” Kady said.
And Megan Barton-Hanson even encouraged this year’s islanders not to hold back.
The 27-year-old model had sex with partner Wes Nelson during the 2018 series – they ultimately split in January 2019.
“There is still so much stigma around women even saying they enjoy sex, let alone doing it on national TV,” Megan said in June.
“I hope it doesn’t stop the girls there this year from living their life.”
Megan added: “When Wes and I were interviewed afterwards, I would always be asked if I regretted having sex on TV and if my parents were embarrassed. They didn’t ask Wes.
“It’s as if people wanted me to be ashamed, but I’m not going to be.”
