ITV boss defends Love Island after Ofcom complaints about bullying and says ‘uncomfortable moments’ are ‘informative’
ITV boss Kevin Lygo has warned that the only way to make risk-free versions of shows like Love Island would be to scrap them altogether.
He defended the ITV2 dating contest against criticism of misogynistic behaviour on this year’s series claiming its duty of care process was "more rigorous than ever." But Kevin warned that preventing on-screen controversies on reality TV shows would mean barring members of the public that they rely on.
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV Festival, he said: "We are moving into a different era here and we have to be very mindful that there is a certain risk to going on television. "It may not be exactly what you think it's going to be as a member of the public, but I don't think we should stop, because the logical conclusion is: 'you don't allow members of the public on telly'.
That's the only way." He also argued that some scenes which could be seen as inappropriate or uncomfortable could also help educate young people.
