Love Island Australia 2023 has introduced “Consent Heart” buttons next to each bed that Islanders must press before getting intimate.
When it comes to dating shows (and real life), consent is a super important topic. As a result, Love Island has introduced an extra measure to ensure cast members feel safe at all times.
ITV Studios Australia’s Executive Producer Alex Mavroidakis has explained the importance behind these new buttons.
“We are a show where people sleep in the same bed together. Once the sheets are pulled over, you can’t see what’s going on underneath,” he told TV Tonight. “So we’ve created an Australian-only invention called the Consent Heart.”
“On the bedside, everyone has a small button,” he explained. “When the bedroom is dark, if you push that button, your side of the heart will light up but only in infrared. It’s not seen in the bedroom.”
“Only if both buttons are pushed and if the heart is complete in infrared, are you allowed to kiss, touch and do everything with each other.” And we think every bedroom needs a Consent Heart!
Love Island Australia also had consent lights in Season Four.
Love Island producers will intervene if Islanders aren’t using their Consent Hearts
Alex then explained what would happen if Islanders got intimate without using their Consent Hearts.
“If anyone starts kissing or touching each other in bed, producers will physically walk into the bedroom and tell them to switch their Consent Heart on,” he said.
“Only at that point are they both consenting adults and we leave them alone.”
Alex went on to say that the production team were super “red hot” on consent.
“Any intimacy whatsoever must be mutual consent,” he stressed. And we love to hear it!
After the instances of alleged misconduct in the latest season of Below Deck Down Under, we think these Consent Hearts are a brilliant addition to the Villa.
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