Tuesday 9 August 2022 03:22 PM Psychologist reveals the consequences of overnight fame on Love Island stars trends now

Now that the stars of this year's series of Love Island have re-entered the real world, you may assume that a life of luxury is what awaits them.

With all relationship dramas left in the villa and swathes of lucrative brand deals sitting in their DMs, it seems like any pre-fame problems must have disappeared.

However, all may not be as it seems, as their summer of love could have opened them up to a brand new set of challenges they are not equipped to deal with.

Over the past eight weeks, millions of reality TV lovers sat down to watch the contestants laugh, cry and 'crack on' every night, forming their own opinions.

Chartered psychologist Dr Audrey Tang has revealed to the MailOnline how quickly becoming one of the country's most talked-about figures may have an impact on the contestants' psyches.

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Dr Tang said: 'Any change, even if you're prepared for it takes getting used to when you begin to live it. 

'For the islanders they will find that every little gesture or action has been scrutinised and commented on - for good and bad.

'The level of attention is huge and for most of us we cannot really imagine what that's like. 

'As they come to terms with the attention, they may lose their ability to control their narrative with stories and social media comments pushing the opinions of everyone else onto them.'

Having their lives broadcast on national television also opens them up to both super fans and trolls, who may feel they have a connection to them.

Dr Tang added: 'We can get as invested in soap characters as our own relationships because empathy often means we experience an emotional reaction to their story without fully appreciating that it is not related to us personally. 

'It is possible that a comment you make may be 'liked' by the account of the reality TV personality or others in that sphere, and you can get an even stronger false sense of connection.'

Overnight fame

Each Love Island contestant goes into the villa relatively unknown, with many working a 'normal' job like paramedic Paige Thorne, fishmonger Luca Bish or estate agent Andrew Le Page. 

But when the cameras start rolling and their faces are plastered on screens across the country, they are quickly thrust into the limelight.

As they do not have access to their mobile phone, they do not know how many news articles or Twitter threads are dedicated to minor interactions they have.

They have no idea of public opinion, or what has been shown on the episodes, so when they finally exit the villa there is a lot to absorb.

In 2019, former islander Dani Dyer reflected on the trappings of overnight fame after the shocking death of Mike Thalassitis', who appeared on the show in 2017.

She said: 'It is tough going from literally being no one to then all of a sudden overnight coming out and being someone, it is difficult, you go from one extreme to the other and it's sad that it ended that way.'

This year, Love Island producers arranged for contestants to watch a video fronted by the show's executive producer and head of welfare before heading into the villa.

This includes details on how to cope being filmed 24 hours a day, dealing with social media trolling and adapting to life away from the show. 

Registered mental health professionals are also engaged throughout the whole series - from pre-filming to aftercare.

Regardless of this support, the islanders are still unlikely to be prepared for the level of fame they are subjected to when they first get off the plane from Majorca. 

Dr Tang said: 'When any experience ends, especially if it has been long and intense, and more so if it was largely positive, there is often a sense of loss.

'Even if the experience had ups and downs, because you have focused on it for a long time, it has become your norm, you structure your day around it.

'And when the experience you are talking about is life changing - as being catapulted into not just broadcast media stardom, but social media as well – it can be extremely overwhelming.

'You are now dealing with being a household name as well as offers, contracts, and many people whom you have not had to work with before.'

The UCL-trained psychologist turned author added: 'On top of that, the consequences of your choices can also become larger because of how familiar the public is with you.

'You become news, so if you make a poor investment, trust someone you shouldn't, or perhaps even get caught saying something which was taken out of context, it can feel like everyone has an opinion.

'However, If you expected more interest and this isn't forthcoming, especially in the world of social media where 'likes' affect our feelings of self-worth, this can be hugely devastating.

'It can feel like rejection on a huge scale. 

'When we feel rejected, this can cause us to spiral into thinking other negative thoughts about ourselves, for example I'm not talented, I'm not attractive, I'm not good at my job.

'This can lead us to feel depressed which in turn can mean our mental health takes a hit.'

There is also the risk that the new lifestyle will disappear just as quickly as it was handed out too. 

Dr Tang said: 'You get used to living a 'disposable' lifestyle, you enjoy the excitement and the interest in you and the parties while it lasts, and as it starts to ebb, you may find yourself chasing it rather than securing your basic living needs.

'The marketability of the Love Island contestants is on their looks, and looks will fade, adding an extra pressure in terms of maintaining them.'

A 2018 study by campaign group Level Up found that 40 per cent of women ages 18-34 reported they felt more conscious about their bodies after watching Love Island.

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