A Maura lookalike & Arabella Chi’s double… Love Island’s predictable ‘clone’ casting proves ITV is running out of ideas
LOVE Island’s back, baby – and with it comes a brand new crop of Islanders all ready to storm the famous villa and snog their way to everlasting love.
But who are these new faces that promise to occupy our summer viewing schedule and keep us hooked every night?
Well, in a case of mildly disappointing déjà vu, they seem to be the same faces we’ve seen for the last 10 years and counting.
Yes, it’s been a decade now since Love Island debuted on our TV screens – and those 10 years have produced more lookalikes than the permanent exhibition at Madame Tussauds.
Every year we see a merry band of twentysomething singletons rock up in their skimpies, swearing they’re so unique in their quest to find the one.
And every year, without fail, they all look just the same as the ones who went before them.
Honestly, how unique can you be when you’re primped, buffed and preened to look like a walking, talking Love Island animatron, freshly churned out from the reality TV factory?
The answer is: not very.
When it comes to the girls, it’s safe to say they ring a certain bell with their deep spray tans, and long wavy hair.
Case in point, we have Dubliner Megan Forte Clarke, who could easily be a stand-in for fellow Irish lass and former villa dweller Maura Higgins.
The two may not be related, but maybe there’s something in the water over on the Emerald Isle.
Then there are the boys, whose pecs are chiselled in the likeness of their predecessors.
Take Tommy Bradley, whose megawatt smile and perfectly coiffed helmet hair make him an uncanny replacement for former winner Jack Fincham.
Other clones – sorry, contestants – in the mix include Alima Gagio, Dejon Noel-Williams, Helena Ford and Megan Moore, who all bear glaring similarities with bygone Love Islanders.
And it’s not just the aesthetics. Already, we have the newbies promising us they’re single and ready to mingle.
But as they utter tired lines like “my type on paper”, “putting all my eggs in one basket” and “can I pull you for a chat?”, it feels – once again – like we’re just re-watching previous seasons.
Even Iain Stirling can’t hide his ennui.
His voiceovers during the All Stars season in January hinted at a funnyman who knows he’s worn out the same jokes about the same contestants ad nauseam.
In the past, of course, the show has been slammed for its lack of diversity when it comes to race, age and body type – something producers have tried to improve upon.
But as the new Islanders were unveiled this week, it was clear that producers hadn’t tried hard enough.
So, the question is why?
There’s an old adage: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And when it comes to the show’s casting process, that seems to be ITV’s MO.
But the trouble is, it is broke.
Earlier this year the show garnered 1.2m viewers for its grand final, which pales in comparison to the 3.4m people who tuned in to watch the show’s final in 2019.
Meanwhile rival reality show The Traitors, which actually casts normal-looking people with genuinely interesting backstories, pulled in more than seven million people for its explosive finale back in January.
Clearly we’re all getting a little tired of Love Island’s same old song and dance routine – and the same roster of challenges, from Snog, Marry, Pie to the heart rate challenge.
And ITV don’t seem to be paying any attention.
They’re evidently looking for the daters who are 100 per cent their type on paper – even if they’re copying and pasting, year by year.
Will we still be watching? Yes, absolutely. But don’t blame us if we still confuse the new Islanders for their bygone love-a-likes.
The differences are subtle. Even Iain Stirling would struggle to tell them apart.
Megan Forte Clarke and Maura Higgins
New recruit Megan, 24, may have played the ugly stepsister in a panto production of Cinderella, but she’s gunning for her own happy ever after in the villa.
And judging by her striking looks, she won’t be getting any boos and hisses inside.
Followers have already compared her to Maura, 34, whose own modelling career skyrocketed after appearing in Love Island season five.
Whether she meets the one or not, odds are that Megan’s set for a similar trajectory (Oh no she isn’t! Oh yes she is!)
Dejon Noel-Williams and Omar Nyame
Personal trainer, Dejon, 26, must be used to having clients begging to look just like him.
But the former footballer isn’t the first to rock a hot bod and braided hair.
That mantle was taken last year – and again, in this year’s All Stars villa – by former PE teacher Omar, 26.
The pair could be twins; but what we want to know is, who would beat the other in a cardio challenge?
Ben Holbrough and Adam Collard
When he’s not modelling, Ben likes going to the gym… just like Adam, who – when he’s not modelling – likes going to the gym.
But while Ben is hardly vertically challenged at 6ft 2ins, it seems he’ll still be looking up to his season four doppelganger, who stands tall at 6ft 5ins.
Other than that, they’re indistinguishable. We assume, given that we can’t crane our necks that high to see.
Alima Gagio and Yewande Biala
Hailing from Glasgow, Alima, 23, says she’s a good flirt.
Here’s hoping she has more luck in the villa than her doppelganger Yewande, 29, who was booted out of the villa after her partner Danny recoupled with Arabella.
Meanwhile, it’s not just beauty that these two have in common – they have the brains to match.
While Yewande is a scientist, with a masters in pharmaceutical quality assurance and regulation, Alima is a client services executive in wealth management.
Whether she cashes in once in the villa remains to be seen.
Helena Ford and Arabella Chi
One of them is a smouldering blonde with fierce eyebrows and a jetset lifestyle… the other is a smouldering blonde with fierce eyebrows and a jetset lifestyle.
But while Arabella, 34, who’s had two unsuccessful stints in the villa, has recently welcomed her first baby, newbie Helena is on a very different path.
Heading into the villa, the cabin crew member is looking for an excuse to finally settle down.
And if she doesn’t triumph this time round, she can always become an All Star like her Love Island lookalike.
Tommy Bradley and Jack Fincham
We had to do a double-take when we first saw Tommy, who – with his porcelain gnashers and helmet hair is the double of season five winner Jack, 34.
Just like Jack, Tommy’s been dubbed the “cheeky chappy” of this year’s villa – and, in another case of history repeating itself, he’s also a keen boxer.
However, unlike Jack, he’s entering the villa absolutely ripped following a serious body overhaul. Very cheeky.
Megan Moore and Shaughna Phillips
Seasoned traveller Megan is often posting photos from sun-drenched locations – so she’ll be in familiar surroundings in Spain.
But will she have the same rollercoaster journey as Shaughna, 31, who quickly coupled up with Callum in season six, before being jilted after he went to Casa Amor?
Still Shaughna clawed back her pride, uttering the iconic line, “Congrats, hun.”
If Megan tops that…well, congrats, hun.
Lucy Quinn and Samantha Kenny
If you squint hard enough, these two are tough to tell apart. At least, they would be after two of those allocated Love Island vinos they get every night.
New recruit Lucy, 20, is believed to be going in as a bombshell and has told insiders she’s single and ready to mingle.
Let’s hope she has better luck than Samantha, who hooked up with Joey Essex, before he dumped her for Grace.
Still both girls are make-up artists, so they’re primed to paint smiles on their faces, whatever the outcome.