Love Island to make major change for this year’s series aimed at helping blind viewers
LOVE Island’s new intake have recorded descriptions of themselves to help blind and partially-sighted viewers of the upcoming series get to know them.
The guys and girls outline everything from hair and skin colour and body shape to their dress sense, tattoos, piercings and hand gestures in the pioneering move.
Other videos describe the Majorcan villa where they will live as, say producers, every effort is made to make the dating show accessible.
Maya Jama, 28, who returns for her second stint as host, will welcome the Islanders this weekend ahead of Monday’s launch.
They include Molly Marsh, 21, who says she has “brown eyes and long eyelashes.”
She lists her tattoos — starfish, palm tree, flowers and lightning bolt — and where to find them and mentions her belly button piercing.
Andre Furtardo, 21, says: “I am six foot, dark skin. My heritage is Cape Verdean, my nationality is Portuguese. My dress sense is earth tones and neutral colours.”
Ella Thomas, 23, adds: “I’ve got long black hair, it’s really curly but I wear it straight as well.”
Catherine Agbaje, 22, rates her best feature as her smile and says her dress sense is “hot, sexy and out there”, adding: “I’m not afraid to show a bit of skin.”
Semi-pro footballer Tyrique, 23, says he is black, 6ft tall and athletic.
Meanwhile, Ruchee Gurung, 24, decribes her Size 3s as “kids’ feet” and adds: “I love gold jewellery, it adds a bit of va-va voom.”
The descriptions feature on the contestants’ introductory videos which will go on YouTube, along with the villa footage.
The Royal National Institute of Blind People charity said: “We welcome this creative exploration in enhancing accessibility for blind and partially-sighted viewers.”
ITV used audio self-description for drama Nolly earlier this year.
It is working on ensuring episodes are subtitled as soon as possible.
Director of Accessibility David Padmore said: “We’re always looking for ways to make our shows more accessible. We hope the Islander self-descriptions and villa tours will help bring this summer’s Love Island to life.”
The new series begins on Monday at 9pm on ITV2.