Former Love Island finalist Faye Winter has waded into the ongoing inclusivity row surrounding the ITV reality show after many fans were left disappointed with the diversity of Islanders.
Inclusivity has been a hot topic for Love Island over the years as many contestants who have appeared on the show are deemed to have a "specific look" with the casting team seeming to copy the trend year after year.
As the series kicked off on Monday, fans flooded social media and expressed their frustrations as most of the girls "look the same" barring mental health nurse Mimii Ngulube.
Someone who felt the same during their season was Faye Winter - who starred in the series back in 2021 and came third with then-boyfriend Teddy Soares - noting that she realised many of her co-stars were "white and blonde".
Speaking exclusively to GB News about the issue of inclusivity, Winter explained: "It seems like everyone was saying they wanted an older cast, and then this year they have got an older cast and then saying that it is too old.
"They can't win so I just wish that people would just enjoy the show for what it is meant to be which is just entertaining and fun. Ultimately that is what it is there for, it is there to be entertaining. Let it be."
Faye starred on the 2021 series and came third with then-boyfriend Teddy Soares
ITV
She added: "I remember our year everyone was saying that everybody was white and blonde and I actually remembered thinking that at one point.
"However, what I will say is there's always going to be people that are unhappy."
Winter is from the southwest of England, living in Devon with her pup Bonnie, and is one of five people from the southwest to have taken part in the show.
The finalist added that despite people wanting it, the show is unlikely to have a person from every walk of life because of the extensive and time-consuming casting process.
Fellow Islander Tasha Ghouri hit back at the line up this year and claimed it was going backwards
When members of the public apply for the show, producers interview the potential Islanders in a one-on-one setting, asking what they look for in a partner.
They are then tasked with finding the people within the pool of applicants who they might gravitate to.
Winter admitted: "I understand where people are coming from I have to say I understand it, (but) I do feel like there are always going to be people that are unhappy and remember it is always going to be like this with the starting line-up.
"There are always more people that are added, there are always people from walks of life coming in, so, we have to bear that in mind that it will change as the show progresses.
"It was always a show unfortunately that was based on looks and physical attraction, that is what it was based on. Everyone is shooting themselves in the foot with this really because you can't win, so you might as well carry on and ignore what people are saying."
Winter isn't the only former star who noticed the lack of inclusivity this year, as the show's first deaf contestant Tasha Ghouri voiced her opinion of the 2024 Islanders on her Snapchat: "Love seeing the inclusivity within the Love Island cast... feels like is going backwards."
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Patsy is the series' only disabled person as she was born with Erbs Palsy
ITV
This year, the show has scouted out 29-year-old Patsy Field who is the show's only disabled star as she was born with Erb's palsy, which was developed during her traumatic birth at Lewisham Hospital.
Field discussed her disability before going into the villa and told the Daily Mail: "I like to call it my Nemo lucky fin.
"It is smaller, has a different shape and is more bent than the other one. I managed to avoid any bullying, luckily, I'm a confident girl.
"I don't think it's held me back too much. I do remember being at school and watching all the girls do their handstands and I'd be like anyone for headstands?"
