Criminals and abusers caught trying to nab a place on Love Island trends now

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Convicted criminals were caught trying to land a place on Winter Love Island after show bosses implemented the government's Disclosure & Barring Service in their background checks. 

All potential contestants go through a rigorous screening service before they are accepted for the show, including STD tests and criminal background checks. 

Show bosses also inspect the Islanders' social media for any troubling material and put in place physical and mental health assessments for the Islanders. 

Applications for this year's series - which finished on Monday when Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan were crowned the winners - saw multiple past offenders attempt to star on the show. 

A source told The Sun: 'We've never had a #MeToo horror pop up because we won't move forward with a potential contestant if we find something unsettling about their history along those lines.'

The insider continued: 'We have ramped up all the checks even more as part of the promise to do more to protect our Islanders.

'It also sets a clear standard that certain behaviours will not be accepted or ignored if they happen.'

ITV have been contacted for comment. 

Prior to the winter series launch, ITV shared their comprehensive package of welfare measures for programme contributors to ensure stars are fully supported before, during and after the filming period.

As part of extended measures to protect both the Islanders and their families from 'the adverse effects of social media', participants were asked to pause handles and accounts on their social media platforms for the duration of their time on the show.

Additionally, ahead of entering the Villa, Islanders received guidance and training around mutually respectful behaviour in relationships.

Participants were 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'.

ITV added that stars continued to be offered video training and guidance covering inclusive language around disability, sexuality, race and ethnicity, and microaggressions.

The change in guidelines came after Love Island received more than 5,000 Ofcom complaints during last year's series, with viewers sharing their concerns about 'misogynistic behaviour and bullying'.