Love Island‘s Amy Hart and Rosie Williams took part in a talk about mental health on the show at the Cambridge Union with co-star Yewande Biala on Wednesday.
The flight attendant, 28, said her parents were warned about ‘harrowing’ scenes she had, while the Welsh solicitor, 29, claimed she once told show bosses to ‘get her off set’ because she was at ‘breaking point’ during her time on the show.
Amy explained: ‘They are in constant contact with your family as well so they would call my parents and say, “Okay so tonight’s episode, you are going to find it quite harrowing but I am in the gallery now, I’m looking at Amy, she’s with the girls and she is fine”.
Difficult: Love Island’s Amy Hart (pictured on the show) said at a talk at the Cambridge Union on Wednesday that her parents were warned about ‘harrowing’ scenes in which she broke down over her romance ending with Curtis Pritchard
‘And my mum kept saying to the producers, “She does know she can leave, doesn’t she? She does know she can leave whenever she wants?” and they’re like, “Yes, she knows she can leave”.
‘But I just thought, it’s hard for us to live it, it must be so hard for our parents to watch it.’
Amy then joked: ‘Turns out my mum and dad were hanging out with Phil and Holly so they weren’t actually that bothered.’
Struggle: Rosie Williams, meanwhile, explained that she told bosses to ‘get her off set’ when she was at ‘breaking point’ on the show
Looking out for them: Amy said show bosses: ‘would call my parents and say, “Okay so tonight’s episode, you are going to find it quite harrowing”‘ but reassure them she was ‘fine’
Rosie then explained she had to get off set quickly following a challenge where Adam Collard had to put make-up on her whilst blindfolded, which she said made her feel ‘completely humiliated’.
She told students at Cambridge University: ‘I could feel I was at breaking point, you know at that point, when you are doing the challenges you know you’re being filmed and I felt the whole world – well not the whole world – the whole nation is seeing me being completely humiliated by this guy.
‘All I can do is let him do it as we were in the middle of a challenge. I just remember saying “you need to get me out of here and get me off the set”.’
Rosie went on: ‘That was the day I went and spoke to somebody about what was going on. It takes you getting to breaking point to say “I need help, I need to speak to someone.”‘
‘Breaking point’: Rosie detailed how she asked to leave set after she felt ‘humiliated’ following a challenge where Adam Collard had to put make-up on her whilst blindfolded (pictured)
Upset: Rosie said, ‘I could feel I was at breaking point… the whole nation is seeing me being completely humiliated by this guy. That was the day I went and spoke to somebody’
The trio also spoke about how they have a therapist on set at all times, and Yewande saying once she admitted she was ‘not okay’ and went to see her it helped improve her mental health.
She said: ‘It was the first time I actually spoke to someone, I remember they came up to us everyday and said “would you like to speak to someone today?” And I used to be like “I’m fine, I’m totally fine”.
‘Saying “you know what, I’m not okay” was a big step for me and after saying that I was able to be more open about how I needed help and take that journey to improve my own mental health.’
Advice: The trio also spoke about how there is a therapist on set, and Yewande said once she admitted she was ‘not okay’ and spoke to her it helped improve her mental health
Help: Yewande (pictured in a promo for the show) said: ‘Saying “you know what, I’m not okay” was a big step for me and after saying that I was able to be more open about how I needed help’
Amy went on: ‘For me, like Yewnade said, [the therapist] lives 20 mins away so she’s on call the whole time and she had scheduled appointments.
‘So they come and say “oh would you like to speak to someone?”, and I say “no I’m fine, I don’t need to speak to someone, I’m actually okay.”
‘And then I went into the garden and said “they keep asking me if I want to see the therapist” and Lucie [Donlan] said “oh I saw her yesterday she’s really nice actually and she made me quite calm”.
‘So, I thought okay I’ll see her then, and literally I saw her everyday, twice a day sometimes, and when they tried to put me with a new therapist, when I left the villa, I was like “no, no, no” and then 8 months with her on the outside.’
Loss: After Mike Thalassitis’ took his own life in March 2019, producers announced key changes to islanders’ duty of care
After Mike Thalassitis’ took his own life in March 2019, producers announced key changes to islanders’ duty of care and said all would be able to access therapy sessions, social media and financial training, and a minimum of 14 months of ‘proactive’ contact.
‘We are outlining today our welfare processes follow three key stages: pre-filming, filming and aftercare,’ creative Director ITV Studios Entertainment Richard Cowles said at the time.
‘We are increasing our post filming support to help Islanders following their time in villa.’
It was reported earlier this year that Love Island bosses ramped up psychological testing in the search to find the next batch of singletons, after the tragic deaths of Mike, Sophie Gradon and host Caroline Flack.
Mike was found hanged in a park in March 2019 – after friends revealed he had been ‘in a dark place’ in the months leading up to his death.
Changes: It was reported earlier this year Love Island bosses have ramped up psychological testing, after the tragic deaths of Mike, Sophie Gradon (pictured) and host Caroline Flack
Sophie took her own life aged 32 back in June 2018 after appearing on season two of the show two years prior. Her heartbroken boyfriend Aaron Armstrong took his own life just 20 days later aged 25.
In December 2019, Caroline left her role presenting the show in the wake of her arrest over an alleged assault on her boyfriend Lewis Burton.
The presenter was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, London, on February 15, 2020, aged 40. She too had taken her own life.
The Sun claimed once past the audition stage, potential islanders will undergo three rounds of testing to ensure they will be able to cope with starring on the ITV2 show and the subsequent fame afterwards.
Devastating: Caroline (pictured in 2019) was found dead at her home in Stoke Newington, London, on February 15, 2020. She too had taken her own life
The publication also stated stringent measures now require the cast to provide their doctors’ details and list and medications they are taking.
The insider added that singletons will be closely monitored with support provided to those anyone who needs it.
A spokesperson for ITV told MailOnline: ‘The processes and the support offered to Islanders have necessarily evolved as the show has developed and grown in popularity.’
Love Island has not aired since February 2020 after both the summer 2020 and winter 2021 editions were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the summer edition of the show will return.
For confidential support or advice call the Samaritans on 116 123 for free or visit www.samaritans.org.
Off the air: Love Island has not aired since February 2020 after both the summer 2020 and winter 2021 editions were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic