LOVE Island has announced a massive shake-up of show rules ahead of the new series.

Family and friends of the next batch of islanders are now banned from posting on their social media accounts during the show, instead accounts will be dormant.

In past series, islanders' teams used their accounts to encourage viewers to vote for them and build up their following.

However, they were often subject to vile abuse from trolls and there were even occasional spats between contestants' family and friends.

Love Island is also cracking down on gaslighting following incidents such as Jacques O'Neill and Paige Thorne's ill-fated romance that viewers found uncomfortable to watch.

The new rules package reads: "As part of extended measures to protect both the Islanders and their families from the adverse effects of social media, participants will be asked to pause handles and accounts on their social media platforms for the duration of their time on the show. Islanders’ accounts will remain dormant while they are in the Villa, so that nothing is published on their behalf."

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It goes on to say: "Participants will be offered resource links to read up on, in advance of meeting their fellow Islanders, to help them identify negative behaviours in relationships and understand the behaviour patterns associated with controlling and coercive behaviour.”

The duty of care measures are being overseen by Dr Paul Litchfield and Dr Matthew Gould.

Dr Paul said: "The Duty of Care arrangements for Love Island continue to evolve in the light of advances in scientific knowledge and awareness of the pressures young people face in establishing healthy relationships. 

"That culture of continuous improvement ensures that Islanders are well placed to benefit from their experience of participating in one of the UK’s most popular TV shows.”

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Dr Matthew said: "The enhanced safeguards introduced for Love Island 2023 demonstrate ITV’s commitment to evolve Duty of Care protocols to minimise harm, where possible. The bold decision to pause Islanders’ social media activity during the new series is testament to ITV’s serious intent, especially as this input provides both a benefit to the appeal of the programme and a potential source of mental health problems.

"Balancing this “tight-rope” requires both the identification of which safeguards have the greatest positive impact on participants' wellbeing and the professional partnership, put in place by ITV, especially between producers and their welfare teams, and most importantly, the contributors themselves.”     

Diversity training, which was rolled out ahead of this year's series, will return.

It will be chaired by BCOMS (Black Collective of Media in Sport) founder Leon Mann MBE with DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) consultant Hayley Bennett, disability specialist Shani Dhanda and broadcaster Sean Fletcher.

ITV is also promising all contestants comprehensive psychological support, social media training, financial management, and a thorough aftercare package following past complaints that islanders were left to go it alone after the show.

Love Island returns to screens on January 16.

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