Love Island UK Criticized Over Gemma & Davide’s Age Gap
Love Island UK season 8 has already earned backlash, thanks to the large age gap between contestants Gemma and Davide. Love Island returned on Monday, June 6, following a nine-month hiatus since season 7 wrapped. This year brought a brand-new villa, a super-sized run of 10 weeks, and a big premiere twist. However, the most notable fan reaction was one of intense criticism.
Monday night's episode revealed that, instead of Islanders choosing as they normally do, couples were created via public vote. When the five female contestants introduced themselves, everyone was shocked that Gemma Owen was only 19 years old. The public vote paired her with 22-year-old Liam Llewellyn. Then self-professed «Italian snack» Davide Sanclimenti entered as the day-one bombshell to shake things up. During a raunchy game, Gemma and the 27-year-old Davide shared a passionate kiss. This moment set off alarm bells for fans, with many demanding some serious changes from the higher-ups.
Related: Love Island UK: What We Know About Maura's Love Life After The Show
Twitter reactions to the premiere episode were rounded up by PopBuzz on Tuesday, June 7. Clearly, instead of the twist or the new villa, the main viewer response to the episode was concern over Gemma's age. PopBuzz reported that she was born on May 1st, 2003, meaning she just turned 19 and likely finished school only months prior. Season 5 runner-up Molly-Mae Hague was also 19 at the time, but she was paired with the same-aged Tommy Fury. Meanwhile, along with fellow 27-year-old Andrew Le Page, Davide is currently the oldest contestant in the villa. Even before the kiss, many were already put off by the eight-year age gap. In addition to reacting in horror on social media, multiple people
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