Love Island 2022: Everything you need to know about its new rules, Irish contestant and more

It’s a summer rite of passage as old as time itself (“time itself” here referring to the past seven years). Having cruelly left us to our own devices for the last 12 months, Love Island is back – complete with Irish presenter and Irish contestant. So squeeze into your lucky short-shorts, slap on some fake tan and get grafting by the pool as we bring you everything you need to know about this season of love in a warm climate.

When is it on?

Season eight of Love Island begins on Virgin Media One, Monday night at 9pm and will air nightly for the traditional eight weeks (with Saturdays off). There had been rumours the series would run for longer than usual this year – but that speculation has proved incorrect.

Who is hosting?

Laura Whitmore, the Bray, Co Wicklow-raised presenter, is back as host. She took over in 2020 from Caroline Flack and has been the face of Love Island ever since. She is joined by her husband, comedian Iain Stirling, whose sarcastic voiceover is a Love Island staple.

Whitmore has taken a stand in the past against the abuse of celebrities on social media. And she recently went on Instagram to push back against criticisms of her role as Love Island presenter, addressing accusations she didn’t spend enough time at the Love Island villa and wasn’t working hard enough to deserve her paycheque.

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“Firstly, Iain has never had attention on money he earns. Why don’t we like women earning money?” she said. “I bloody wish I earned what was written in the press! I only get paid days I work.”

What’s changed?

Love Island has gone eco-aware in 2022. The series has partnered with eBay and will furnish contestants with “pre-loved” clothes. For the first time ever, the show will also feature a “shared” wardrobe.

There is to be a change of location, too. The traditional Love Island villa at Sant Llorenc des Cardassar in North Eastern Majorca is unavailable and so the production has relocated to the east of the island, and a “large rustic stone villa”.

Love Island has also moved on from its stomach-churning food challenges, in which Islanders would pass items of food mouth to mouth. These trials had long grossed-out viewers and, as we settle into a post-Covid world, have very sensibly been dropped.

Any Irish contestants?

Irish singletons have had a patchy time on Love Island. Maura Higgins, from Longford, parlayed her stint in the villa into a TV career. But Yewande Biala , from Enfield, Co Meath, has spoken out about racism on the show. “Being black on TV means not raising your voice, not being too defensive, because you don’t want to create the narrative of being an angry black woman or being a bully,” she said in a Twitter post last year. “I am not a bully, it’s such a huge accusation and one that should be handled very seriously.”

In 2022, the flag is flown by Dami Hope, a 26-year-old microbiologist from Dublin. He said he had signed up out of a sense of adventure. “This year I was kind of being more open to new things and I think actually that’s why I put myself out there to get some new experiences. Love Island is a different experience.”

He is open-minded about a prospective partner, he adds. “If they had something they wanted to do or something they were passionate about, I’d make sure that, even if it’s something I’m not talented at, I’d get talented at it just so it helps them. I’m really good at being in a team and actually looking after each other.”

How is Love Island addressing criticisms of the show?

Love Island has a troubled legacy, with the death by suicide of presenter Caroline Flack and former contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis leading to criticism around the aftercare of those involved in the series. And, as pointed out above, Yewande Biala has spoken out about racism and other contestants refusing to pronounce her name properly.

Love Island has in the past pledged to do better. This year, ITV, which produces the show, said participants would receive “training on how to avoid micro-aggressions as well as the use of appropriate language around race”.

Islanders will also watch video testimonies from former contestants, who will speak about the pressures of being filmed 24/7 and of dealing with social media trolls.

“The world we live in is changing every day, and we want all of our islanders to feel they are part of an inclusive environment in the villa,” said Ade Rawcliffe, director of diversity and inclusion at ITV. “As part of our duty of care process, it is also important we play our part in educating our participants to understand and empathise with different perspectives and lived experiences.”

What horrors will Love Island inflict on the English language this year?

In this universe, people sprinkle their conversations with expressions such as “pied” (you’ve been dumped in an appalling manner), “it is what it is” (a situation cannot be changed), and “girl code” (staying loyal to your female friends). With each new season, Love Island finds different way to further denigrate – or maybe develop – English so stay tuned for more dings against discourse and funky phrases in 2022.