Love Island star Dani Dyer has praised the ITV2 show’s duty of care, saying its producers are “always there for you”.
The issue of aftercare has been in the spotlight following the deaths of Jeremy Kyle participant Steve Dymond and former Love Island contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis.
Dyer, who won last year’s series with Jack Fincham, said she believes the programme has always prioritised the care of its participants.
“I think there was always duty of care,” she said.
“I think when we was on Love Island and stuff, there was always stuff that goes on behind the scenes, when you’re going through a bad time, there is always someone there.
“Obviously this year it might have been shown more to people, but it was exactly the same.
“Like every single year it was genuinely exactly the same.”
She went on: “That’s how Love Island is, the producers are so lovely, they’re always there for you.
“They’ve helped me when I’ve had low times and been there throughout my whole journey, they’ve literally always been a phone call away.”
The reality star said she believes the producers “get a lot of stuff thrown upon them” but are “great people”.
“They change people’s lives, I think people forget that,” she said.
Dyer is now returning to television screens as the host of MTV’s reality game show True Love Or True Lies?
She said she battled a few nerves ahead of filming.
She said of coping with the butterflies: “I think with nerves you just have to go, ‘It’s just nerves.’
“But you just play on it, you make it your own really, and I think nerves means you love it and you really want to do it. If you weren’t nervous and you were a bit like, careless, I think that would show.
“But I just channelled it a bit, and was like, ‘You can do this girl. You’re alright.’ Just pacing up and down, really sweating…”
True Love Or True Lies? starts on October 21.