Introduction: A Record-Breaking Year for Drama
It’s official. The summer of 2025 will go down in history for British television. But it is not for a good reason. It is for a record number of complaints. On September 18, 2025, new data revealed a shocking fact. Love Island has taken the crown as the most complained-about show on British TV for the year. The ITV2 dating show beats every other program. It had more complaints than news channels. It had more complaints than political debates. It seems the drama in the villa was too much for many people to handle.
The data comes from Ofcom. Ofcom is the regulator for TV in the UK. They watch over what is shown on our screens. They make sure rules are followed. Every year, they count how many people contact them to complain. This year, the numbers for Love Island were huge.
The 2025 series of Love Island aired for eight weeks. In that time, it received over 13,500 complaints from angry viewers. To be exact, the number was 14,121 complaints.This is a very big number.
Let us compare this to the year before. In 2024, the show had about 2,903 complaints.This means the complaints went up by more than 360 per cent in just one year.This is a massive jump. It shows that something was very different this year. Viewers weren’t just watching. They were angry. They were upset. And they wanted Ofcom to do something about it.
Explosion in Viewer Outrage: Love Island Complaints (2024 vs 2025)
The 2025 series saw complaints skyrocket to over 14,000, dwarfing the previous year’s figures.
Data sources: Advanced Television, Wales Online, Ofcom
The complaints were about many things. People were unhappy about bullying. They were unhappy about misogyny. Misogyny means dislike or prejudice against women. There were also complaints about “controlling behavior” from the men in the villa. It was a stormy summer for ITV.
This report will tell you everything that happened. We will look at why people complained. We will look at the specific days when viewers were most angry. We will also talk about the contestants involved, like Shakira Khan, Megan Forte Clarke, and the winners, Toni and Cach. We will write simply so everyone can understand the full story of Love Island 2025.
Reality TV Dominates the Complaints List
Ofcom releases a report every year. This report tells us what shows make people angry. In 2025, reality TV was the main problem. The report says that reality TV shows made up more than half of the top 10 most complained about programs.
Love Island was the biggest one. About three out of every ten complaints sent to Ofcom in 2025 were about Love Island .That is a huge share. It means that almost 30% of all the anger on British TV was directed at this one dating show.
It wasn’t just the main summer series. There is also a spin-off show called Love Island: All Stars . This tunes earlier in the year. It features contestants from past seasons. This show also made the list. An episode from February 12 received 1,240 complaints.The complaints were about bullying between contestants. This shows that the problem was there all year round.
Ofcom noted something interesting. Overall, the number of complaints for all TV shows went down compared to 2024.Most shows were getting fewer complaints. But Love Island went the other way. Its complaints went up. This makes the show stand out even more. While the rest of TV was becoming quieter, Love Island was becoming louder and more controversial.
The Week of Anger: July 2025
To understand why the numbers were so high, we need to look at July. July was the month when everything exploded. There was one week in particular where the complaints flooded in. Fans have called this the “Week of Anger.”
The trouble started around July 22. It continued until July 25. In these four days alone, Ofcom received over 9,000 complaints.That is almost two-thirds of the total complaints for the whole season.
Here is the breakdown of that crazy week:
- July 22: On this day, 2,509 people complained.The main reason was bullying. This was also the day a former contestant named Megan Forte Clarke returned to the villa. Her return caused a lot of drama.
- July 23: The next day, another 2,002 complaints came in.Viewers were still upset about the bullying.
- July 24: This was the peak. It was the worst day of the year for complaints. A massive 3,547 people contacted Ofcom.This episode showed the “Grafties” awards. This is a special night in the villa where they show clips of the Islanders. The clips often cause fights. This night, the fight was about Shakira Khan.
- July 25: The anger continues. Another 958 complaints were made.This time, people were upset about bullying and also about how a male contestant, Blu Chegini, spoke to a female contestant, Toni Laites.
The Week of Anger: Daily Complaints Timeline (July 2025)
More than 9,000 complaints were filed in just four days, peaking on July 24th following the ‘Grafties’ episode.
Data sources: The Standard, Bristol Post
This timeline shows us that the problem was not just one bad moment. It was a continuous stream of events. For four days straight, viewers felt that what they were seeing was wrong. They felt it was cruel. And they picked up their phones to tell Ofcom about it.
The Center of the Storm: Shakira Khan
At the heart of this controversy was one person: Shakira Khan.
Shakira is a 22-year-old woman from Burnley in Lancashire.Before the show, she worked in marketing. She comes from a big family. She is one of six children. Her mother, Sukina, is half Pakistani and half English. Her father is the same. This makes Shakira’s background very unique.
On the show, Shakira was very popular with the audience. Fans liked her because she seemed mature and calm.But inside the villa, things were different. Viewers felt that Shakira was being bullied by other Islanders. This is why thousands of people complained. They wanted to protect her.
The “Grafties” Incident
The episode on July 24 caused the most anger. This was the night of the “Grafties.” The “Grafties” is an awards ceremony for the Islanders. But it is not a fun ceremony. The producers pick clips of the Islanders talking behind each other’s backs. Then they show these clips to the whole group on a big screen.
In one clip, Shakira was shown talking to her friend Toni Laites. They were discussing another couple, Meg and Dejon. Meg and Dejon had just become boyfriend and girlfriend. In the clip, Shakira and Toni questioned if Dejon was being real. They were not sure if his feelings were true.
When this clip was played at the villa, the reaction was huge. The other Islanders turned on Shakira. They called her fake. They said she was playing a game. Viewers at home felt that Shakira was being attacked. They felt it was unfair.
Fans on social media pointed out a big problem. They said that other girls, like Meg, had said bad things about Shakira too. But the producers did not show those clips. They only showed the clip of Shakira. Fans felt the producers were “setting up” Shakira to be the villain.
One fan wrote on the internet: “Why aren’t they showing when Meg kept talking bad about Shakira? Producers do better”.
The pressure on Shakira was very visible. She was seen crying on TV. She told her friends that she was struggling. She said she was finding it hard to be “present” in the villa. She felt emotionally drained. Many fans were worried she would leave the show because of the stress.This made viewers very protective of her. They didn’t want to see a young woman broken down on national television.
The “Mean Girl” Accusations
The complaints about bullying were mostly directed at a group of girls in the villa. The main person named in complaints was Megan Forte Clarke.
Megan was a contestant who had left the show but was brought back by producers. Her return on July 22 started the “Week of Anger”.Viewers felt that Megan and another girl, Helena Ford, were being meant to Shakira. They accused them of forming a clique. They said they were isolating Shakira.
However, there are two sides to every story. After the show, Megan spoke out. She said that what viewers saw was not the full truth. She blamed the editing. Editing is when the producers cut the video to tell a story.
Megan gave an example. She said there was a moment where she said the words: “Boring, sloppy, lazy, onto the next.” On the TV show, it looked like she was talking about a girl named Yasmin. It looked like she was being meant to Yasmin. But Megan says this is false. She claims she was actually talking about a boy named Harry. She was criticizing Harry’s behavior. She said: “I would never call a female a pr*ck… It has been cut to say Yasmin”.
This is a common complaint from reality TV stars. They often say the “edit” makes them look bad. But for the viewers watching at home, the “edit” is the only thing they see. And what they saw made them very angry with Megan.
The Men Behaving Badly
It was not just the girls who caused complaints. The men in the villa also faced a lot of criticism. There were many accusations of misogyny. Misogyny is when men treat women with dislike or lack of respect. This has been a problem on Love Island for many years.
Women’s Aid Steps In
The situation was so serious that a charity had to step in. The charity is called Women’s Aid. They work to end domestic abuse against women and children.
During the 2025 series, Women’s Aid released a statement. They said they were talking to ITV, the channel that makes Love Island . They were worried about “misogynistic and controlling behavior” being shown on screen.
Women’s Aid said that the show was “reinforcing a culture that trivializes violence against women and girls”.This is a very strong statement. It means the show was making bad behavior seem normal or unimportant.
The charity was worried about specific men in the villa.
- Harrison Solomon: Harrison was involved in a love triangle. A love triangle is when three people are involved in a romantic situation. Harrison was with Toni Laites. Then he went to Casa Amor, a separate villa. There, he slept with another girl, Lauren Wood. But he didn’t tell Toni the full truth. He tried to get back with Toni while keeping secrets. Viewers felt this was manipulative.
- Blu Chegini: Blu was another contestant who caused trouble. He was dumped from the island but then brought back. In his final days, he had arguments with Toni Laites. Viewers felt he was very aggressive. Almost 1,000 complaints were about his behavior.Some fans said he was trying to be an “alpha male” and picking fights with women to get screen time.
Harrison later apologized. When he left the villa, he said the statement from Women’s Aid was the hardest thing to deal with. He said: “It’s not nice coming out of the villa to my mum upset by that.” He admitted he “got a lot of it wrong” and apologized to the women he hurt.
A History of Problems
This is not the first time Love Island has had these problems. In 2022, there were thousands of complaints about “bullying” and “misogyny” too.That year, viewers were upset about a game called “Snog, Marry, Pie.” In this game, the boys threw pies in the faces of the girls. Many people felt it was humiliating.
It seems that every year, the same issues come up. The producers want drama. They want arguments. But the public is becoming less tolerant of behavior that seems like bullying. The line between “good TV” and “abuse” is becoming clearer for the audience.
The Winners: A Happy Ending?
Despite all the anger and the complaints, the show had to have a winner. At the end of the eight weeks, the public voted. The winners of Love Island 2025 were Toni Laites and Cacherel Mercer , known as Cach .
They split the £50,000 prize money. Their win was a happy moment after a tough summer.
- Toni Laites: Toni is an American contestant. She is from Las Vegas. She was a “bombshell,” which means she entered the villa late to shake things up. Toni had a hard time in the villa. She was involved in the drama with Harrison. She was also involved in the arguments with Blu. But she stayed strong. Viewers loved her resilience.
- Cach Mercer: Cach entered the show during Casa Amor. Casa Amor is the mid-season twist where new boys and girls are introduced. Usually, Casa Amor boys do not win. But Cach was different. He was a dancer with a “sweetheart” personality. He won over the audience. The night before the finale, he told Toni he loved her. This moment surely helped them win the votes.
Justice for Shakira
And what about Shakira Khan? The girl who was at the center of the bullying storm? She didn’t win, but she came very close. Shakira and her partner, Harry Cooksley , finished in second place.
For many fans, this was a victory. It showed that Shakira was loved by the public. The “bullies” didn’t win. The girl who was isolated and cried on TV was voted into the final two.
Shakira is now back home in Burnley. She says she is happy with her experience. Her mother and sister appeared on the show’s spin-off, Aftersun , and supported her. Shakira’s journey from victim to finalist is a classic reality TV story. It is the story of the underdog.
Why Ofcom Did Not Punish the Show
You might be wondering: If there were 14,000 complaints, why did Ofcom not ban the show? Gold fine ITV?
Ofcom looked at all the complaints. But they decided not to investigate Love Island 2025. This might seem strange, but they have a reason.
Ofcom’s spokesperson explained their decision. They said: “We recognize that emotionally charged or confrontational scenes can upset some viewers. But, in our view, negative behavior in the villa was not shown in a positive light”.
This means that Ofcom thinks it is okay to show bad behavior, as long as the show does not encourage it. They said that in the episodes, other contestants were seen supporting Shakira. They also said that apologies were made. Because the bad behavior was challenged and resolved, Ofcom felt it did not break the rules.
Ofcom treats Love Island like a mirror. It reflects how people act in real life. Sometimes people argue. Sometimes people are mean. As long as the show portrays this honestly and shows the consequences, the regulator usually steps back.
However, many viewers disagree. They think the show has a “Duty of Care.” This means the show has a responsibility to protect the mental health of the people taking part.
ITV’s Safety Measures
ITV knows that mental health is a big issue. In the past, there have been tragedies associated with the show. Because of this, they now have strict rules to look after the Islanders.
For the 2025 series, they had several measures in place:
- Social Media Ban: While the Islanders were in the villa, their social media accounts (like Instagram) were frozen. This was to stop their families from reading nasty comments from the public.
- Training: Before they went in, the Islanders watched training videos. These videos taught them about “respectful behavior” and “coercive control”.
- Therapy: A mental health professional was available all the time. The Islanders could talk to them whenever they needed.
But even with these rules, the drama still happened. The social media ban protects the families, but it does not stop the public from complaining. And the training videos did not stop the boys from acting in ways that upset Women’s Aid. It is a difficult balance for ITV. They need drama to get viewers, but the drama causes complaints.
Love Island vs. The Rest of TV
Love Island was the biggest complaints story of 2025, but it was not the only one. The Ofcom list shows us what else British viewers were angry about.
Here is a look at the other shows that made people pick up the phone:
- Love Island (ITV2): 14,121 complaints. The clear winner.
- Love Island: All Stars (ITV2): 2,264 complaints. Even the spin-off was controversial.
- Vanessa (Channel 5): 1,866 complaints. This chat show hosted by Vanessa Feltz had an episode about breastfeeding. Viewers felt the information given was misleading.
- Headliners (GB News): 1,391 complaints. This news show caused offense with comments linking the LGBTQ+ community to bad crimes. Ofcom actually found this show broke the rules. They called the comments “highly offensive”.
- This Morning (ITV): Over 700 complaints. This is a daytime show. The complaints were about presenter Rylan Clark. He made comments about illegal immigration that upset some viewers.
The ‘Most Complained About’ Leaderboard (2025
Love Island received nearly 10 times more complaints than the next most controversial entertainment program.
Data sources: Advanced Television, Standard, Irvine Times, The Scotsman
When we look at the list, we see a pattern. Love Island is in a league of its own. It has nearly ten times the complaints of the other big shows. While news and politics make people angry, nothing seems to upset the British public more than seeing young people being mean to each other in a villa.
The Web of Conflict: Relationships Explained
With so many names and arguments, it can be hard to keep track of who was fighting with whom. The villa in 2025 was a web of tension.
On one side, there was the “mean girl” dynamic. This involved Megan Forte Clarke and Helena Ford . They were the ones accused of isolating Shakira . This was the main source of the bullying complaints.
On the other side, there was romantic chaos. Harrison Solomon created a storm by juggling two women. He was coupled with Toni , but slept with Lauren in Casa Amor. This is what sparked the “misogyny” complaints.
Then there was Blu Chegini . His conflict was with Toni Laites . After he returned to the villa, his aggressive comments towards Toni added another layer of nastiness to the show.
All of these conflicts happened at the same time. It created a pressure cooker atmosphere. And that pressure exploded into thousands of complaints.
Conclusion: What Happens Next?
The 2025 season of Love Island is over. The winners have their money. The contestants are back home. But the record number of complaints leaves a big question mark. Can the show continue like this?
ITV is in a difficult position. They need the show to be popular. Drama makes people watch. But they also need to be responsible. 14,000 complaints is a warning sign. It shows that the audience is changing. People are less tolerant of bullying. They are more aware of mental health. They expect better from their TV shows.
The “Week of Anger” in July proved that viewers have power. When they see something they don’t like, they will speak up. They will contact Ofcom. They will contact charities like Women’s Aid.
For now, Love Island remains the king of reality TV. It is the most talked-about show in the country. But if it wants to keep its crown, it might need to change its ways. The drama of 2025 was record-breaking, but it was also exhausting. Perhaps in 2026, viewers will want a little less fighting, and a little more love.
Summary of Key Facts
- Show: Love Island (Series 12)
- Network: ITV2
- Total Complaints: 14,121
- Increase: +360% from 2024
- Main Issue: Bullying of contestant Shakira Khan
- Peak Date: July 24, 2025 (3,547 complaints)
- Winners: Toni Laites and Cach Mercer
- Regulator Outcome: No investigation launched by Ofcom.
