Health Secretary Matt Hancock has weighed in on debate about the aftercare offered by reality TV shows, admitting concerns for the how contestants are provided with mental health support.
His comments follow the death of Love Island 2017 participant Mike Thalassitis, who was found dead in a North London park on Saturday morning.
Speaking at The Spectator Health Summit on Monday, Hancock said he is “worried”, stating: “The sudden exposure to massive fame, I suppose, can have significant impacts on people and I think that it is a duty on any organisation that is putting people in the position of making them famous overnight, that they should also look after them afterwards.
“I think that people need to take responsibility for their duties to people’s well being very seriously.”
Following the shock news of Mike’s death, numerous former Islanders have spoken out against the ITV2 show, with Dom Lever, Jessica Shears, Malin Andersson and Kady McDermott all criticising bosses over the weekend.
Jessica Shears, who took part in the third series, claimed contestants were “out of sight, out of mind” the “minute you get home and are no longer making them money”.
Her husband, Dom Lever, added that while they received psychological evaluations before and after the show, they “don’t get any support unless you’re number one”.
Responding to the criticism, a Love Island spokesperson told HuffPost UK: “Care for our Islanders is a process the show takes very seriously and is a continuous process for all those taking part in the show.
“We ensure that all of our contributors are able to access psychological support before, during and after appearing on the show. The programme will always provide ongoing support when needed and where appropriate.
“We also discuss at length with all of our Islanders, before and after the show, how their lives might change and they have access to support and advice to help with this.”