Love Island hit by complaints about contestants bullying Zara (2023)

Love Island has been hit by nearly 200 complaints after fans accused the other Islanders of bulling Zara Deniz Lackenby-Brown.

The broadcaster watchdog released their latest report on viewer complaints and revealed 197 had been levelled at Love Island last week.

Ofcom confirmed that the majority of complaints were related to 'alleged bullying and discriminatory treatment of Zara'.

This comes after fans said they would be complaining to Ofcom after several contestants turned on Zara.

Zara, 25, has just ended her love triangle with Tom, 23, and fellow Islander Olivia, 27, as they decided to end their romance during Sunday night's episode.

Zara was left in tears after Tom awkwardly claimed he thought Oliviahad the best face in the villa rather than picking her during a game of truth and dare.

The other girls in the villa have been condemned for their 'cold' response to Zara as she sobbed over the outcome of their blossoming romance.

Lana Jenkins, 25, was branded 'fake' by viewers as she hugged Zara in a bid to comfort her, despite viewers believing she had been 'spreading her business'.

Taking to Twitter this week, fans were left divided as some claimed Zara was being 'gaslit' and 'bullied' as the scenes unfolded on screen.

Earlier this week, viewers watched as the hapless footballer said Zara's rival Olivia Hawkins had the 'best face' while she had the 'best body' during a game of truth and dare.

Zara burst into floods of tears and said Tomwas giving her 'mad ick' after he said he liked Olivia's face more than hers.

During Sunday night's episode, Zara was left furious as she broke down into tears and told Tom to 'move from me' as she became frustrated with his choices after the game, with the pair later agreeing to park their romance and remain friends.

While some viewers said they were going to contact Ofcom over how Zara was being treated, Lana prompted others to brand her fake as she tried to comfort Zara as she cried over Tom.

'If Zara gets dumped this week complaints will be made to Ofcom about bullying, these producers know exactly what they are doing,' wrote one person on Twitter.

'If I was in the UK Ofcom would have to block me because of the amount of reports I would file on these bullies,' wrote someone else.

While another viewer posted: 'No these guys are all SO cold towards Zara it's disgusting. Why so much animosity towards her? This is BULLYING!!!'

Another viewer posted: 'I acc want to make an Ofcom complaint cos it's mad how the whole villa is gaslighting Zara.'

Unimpressed with Lana attempting to comfort Zara, one viewer tweeted: 'WHYYYYY TF! Is Lana fasting up herself to go speak on Zara's feelings towards Tom in front of the whole villa when she's been slyly bullying her since she walked in?? Oh yh..cos she's a bully.'

Someone else wrote: 'This babe, Lana, spreading Zara's business for what ? And Olivia with her big mouth, talking about 'it's a game' … when she was crying for 40 days and 40 nights over Zara calling her two faced'

'Lana the fakest woman in there,' wrote another viewer, while someone else shared: 'Lana is a shady snake.'

However, some fans were of a different opinion and claimed that Zara was not being bullied seeing as the truth or dare challenge was 'just a game'.

One person tweeted: 'Zara is NOT being bullied, one boy called her two faced and one girl said her couple wasn’t strong, please tell me how that’s bullying as Zara once said “it was just a game"'.

Another shared: 'Pfft just caught up with love island and how on earth can you say people were bullying Zara? Like it's a game! Get a grip. And I'm sorry but Tom is not her boyfriend she needs to get a grip. Editor's had fun building drama on this it seems and I'm so bored of it.'

A third jumped to the defence of Lana, writing: 'I acc don’t see Lana as a snake. I genuinely think she cared and had good intentions. Producers probably wanted her to tell everyone. Why would Zara name her the most trustworthy and Tom say best personality if she was a b***h?'

With another standing up for Olivia, tweeting: 'Twitter saying that Zara is being bullied in there but the disgusting things I have read on here about Olivia by the same people is so contradictory.'

It comes after Zara's family responded to the dare game bullying stormthat erupted after Friday night's episode.

Speaking to the Mirror, her brother Alex, 28, said: 'She is a very strong woman who knows her own mind – she can handle the drama.'

Zara's mother Denise added: 'We understand people's concerns when they see she is visibly upset. We know the show is highly edited and that Zara is free to leave at any time.'

She explained: 'Zara went into the villa with her eyes wide open, and warned us that we'll be seeing 24 hours condensed into 50 minutes each night.'

It comes after Zara burst into floods of tears and said Tomwas giving her 'mad ick' after he said he liked Olivia more than her.

Earlier this week, viewers watched as the hapless footballer said Zara's rival Olivia had the 'best face' while she had the 'best body' during a game of truth and dare.

And during Sunday night's episode, Zara as left furious as she broke down into tears and told Tom to 'move from me' as she became frustrated with his choices after the game, with the pair later agreeing to park their romance and remain friends.

When asked by Lana Jenkins if she was ok, Zara said: 'No, I just can't be a***d. All the girls picked Tom. Liv picked Tom like twice. He picked Liv's face. I'm not just some f*****g booty to you.'

She continued: 'He's giving me mad ick. If you don't like me, move from me. I just don't understand it.

'One minute he's saying he's all for me then he wants to get to know other people? Why is he saying he likes her face?' In the Beach Hut, she added: 'At this point, it's actually exhausting.'

Lana then told Tom what had been said, prompting him to say in the Beach Hut: 'The initial attraction is there with me and Zara but, will it last?

'I don't want drama, I want someone to come home to and they're lifting me up and boosting me, it's probably been a bit of a wake up call for me tonight, i needed it.'

Pulling Tom for a chat later on in a bid to clear the air, Zara and Tom mutually agreed it was best they remained just friends going forward rather than trying to 'force' a romance.

Attempting to cover his tracks, Tom of his choices during the game: 'I just thought whatever I would have picked, there would have been no good outcome.'

Zara told him: 'I just thought there was no coming back from that.

'There's days when I want it to work and you're confused, days when you want it to work and you're confused.

'I think there has been a lot of drama and headaches and confusion, and for this to happen this early on, it's too much.'

Telling her he agreed it would be best to be friends, Tom said: 'I think you're a top girl and you have good intentions. I'll always be here for you.'

Love Island continues on Monday on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.