"Shakira and Toni are bullies. Simple.”
Love Island is facing fresh controversy after 56 viewers lodged official complaints with Ofcom following a heated row in the villa.
Fans accused islanders Toni and Shakira of “bullying” fellow contestant Emily, 24, during the June 22 episode.
The incident sparked outrage on social media, with users calling the scenes “difficult to watch” and “downright mean”.
The drama had been brewing since June 20.
During a conversation with Megan, Toni criticised Emily’s upbeat attitude, saying:
“I can’t listen to her. ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ all the time.”
Toni later escalated matters by bluntly saying: “Emily’s just f**king nosey.”
Tensions reached a boiling point when Shakira confronted Emily directly.
She told her: “I feel like in situations, it’s a case of reading the room a little bit… I feel like you’ve not made an effort with us.”
Emily defended herself: “Just ’cause she’s in a bad mood doesn’t mean I can’t be in a good mood… you should have come to me.”
Later, when Emily spoke with other islanders about the confrontation, Shakira followed her and pulled her aside again.
This time, she accused Emily of being “b****y” and gossiping behind their backs.
Emily stood her ground and denied the accusation.
Viewers quickly took to social media, calling out what they saw as unacceptable behaviour.
One wrote: “What’s with the bullying in this villa????”
Another added: “So uncomfy to watch. All the girls just bullying one another, it’s disgusting.
“Emily hasn’t done anything to deserve this. Shakira and Toni are bullies. Simple.”
The criticism wasn’t limited to fans. Love Island 2023 winner Jess Harding also weighed in, slamming Toni’s behaviour.
She wrote on Instagram:
“Ok what the hell, just because someone isn’t your cup of tea doesn’t mean you can cause a big drama over it?!”
“Toni girl, I loved you but I don’t like b****y behaviour and pulling crying behaviour.
“Why can’t the girls be 1 big group cos these men be acting CRAZY.”
ITV has yet to comment on the complaints.
Love Island, known for its high drama and emotional moments, has faced scrutiny over contestant welfare in previous years. The show introduced stricter duty of care protocols following past controversies.
Ofcom confirmed it is assessing the viewer complaints before deciding whether to investigate.
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