One Love Island boss has defended the 2018 show's cast, after it came under fire by both fans and critics for 'promoting unrealistic body image standards' with its choice of stars and 'lack of diversity'.
While appearing on a panel at the Edinburgh TV Festival, controller of ITV Digital Channels, Paul Mortimer, reasoned that the 'sexy' show 'had to cast sexy people', and in doing so, it helps tackle childhood obesity.
Speaking about the body diversity debate that the show sparked, Paul said: "I think on the body image thing, we cast very attractive people because it's a sexy show.
"It is entertainment on ITV2 and in the same way that Hollywood casts a certain type to get bums on seats in theatres or on other entertainment shows - the dancers on Strictly, whatever - [we do]."
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Paul went on to brand the programme as 'aspirational' for the audience and the 'perfect holiday' viewers could only aspire towards.
The ITV boss also suggested that the show was doing its part in the war against childhood obesity.
"There's also another conversation going on at the moment about childhood obesity. If you want to look like these guys on Love Island, you have to work out," he continued.
"We make no excuses that people more beautiful than us are entitled to go into a villa for eight weeks and find love."
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From the get go, Love Island was criticised this year for 'failing to show a range of body shapes' that were truly representative of the nation.
In July, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens, expressed concern over the number of cosmetic surgery advertisements which appeared in Love Island breaks.
Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, he explained: "Look at the adverts being shown alongside Love Island. You've got explicit ads being aimed at young women around breast cosmetic surgery.
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"That is all playing into a set of pressures around body image that are showing up."
He added that it wasn't just the NHS' responsibility to tackle eating disorders and mental illness, and social media platforms and TV shows should step up to the mark too.
"The time has come to think long and hard as to whether we should be exposing young people to those kind of pressures, and social media and advertising have got to look very carefully at the kind of impact they are having," he said.
Topics: TV News, Love Island, NHS