Love Island stars blast show for lack of support after Mike Thalassitis’ death saying they are abandoned once series ends
LOVE Island contestants have slammed the show for abandoning them once cameras stopped rolling after one of its biggest stars Mike Thalassitis was found dead in woodland near his home.
A string of former Islanders have rounded on the ITV2 hit for not helping them, with Mike’s co-star Dom Lever insisting: “Once you are done on the show you don’t get any support.”
Mike, who appeared on the 2017 series, is the second Love Island contestant to have died, after 2016 star Sophie Gradon was found dead in her flat in June last year.
Dom tweeted: “You get a psychological evaluation before and after you go on the show but hands down once you are done on the show you don’t get any support unless you’re number one.”
That was echoed by 2016 star Kady McDermott, who added: “Hopefully going forward reality shows will help more with the aftermath of being on one, because I can say it definitely didn’t happen after my series when lots of us needed it.”
Another 2016 Islander, Rachel Fenton, claimed she was offered nothing more than a “chat” with a mental health nurse before being flung into the spotlight.
She wrote: “I hope this educates Love Island producers to provide the necessary support to everyone who enters the show.”
“You get a ‘chat’ with a mental health nurse before you enter the villa but that’s it. Not a single thing after you leave.
“I hope to god this changes. This cannot continue.”
Malin Andersson, whose four-week-old daughter Consy passed away in January, also rounded on the programme, writing: “WAKE UP @LoveIsland !!!!”
“I got flowers from the producers when my daughter died. No f**king phone call. No support, or help. Enough is enough.”
She continued: “Nothing when my mum died. Nothing when Sophie died. Change needs to happen.”
There is no suggestion that Love Island is responsible for Mike’s death and The Sun Online has contacted a rep for the show for comment.
Mike died just days after the death of his beloved nan who he had moved in with to become her full-time carer.
Taking to social media to pay their respects, stars admitted that they were shocked and devastated to hear of his passing.
Actress Sheridan Smith called his death is a “massive wake up call”, encouraging people who are struggling to seek help.
The 37-year-old tweeted: “This should be a massive wake-up call, I feel sick, reach out, sometimes to the most confident friend. We can only learn and try to change.”
She also offered to directly help people starting out in the entertainment industry, adding: “Anything I can do. I think we owe it to these kids who don’t know what they are getting into.”
Chris Hughes, who appeared in the same series of the ITV2 show as Mike, tweeted: “His name was Mike Thalassitis, and every inch of my heart goes out to his family and friends. A good guy, taken far, far to soon.”
Olivia shared a broken heart emoji to her Twitter page, posting a photo of herself with Mike, writing: “Literally don’t know what to say. Another one gone too young.
“Thinking of Mike’s family and friends at this horrendous time. You will be missed terribly.”
Fellow Love Island star Sophie died in June last year aged 32, with the inquest into her untimely death scheduled to begin next week.
However, a representative for the coroner’s court said that Sophie’s parents have asked for the hearing to be cancelled so they could digest a new report.
The Love Island star was found dead by her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong at the age of just 32 at a house in her hometown of Newcastle.
Just 20 days after her shock death Aaron was also discovered dead in his Northumberland flat.
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