Love Island: Do ITV show's new audio descriptions go far enough?

Love Island has got through 10 series since 2015

Love Island is back for its 10th series.

And while it might have been on screens since 2015, this summer there's a change for blind and visually impaired fans of the show.

For the first time contestants have provided audio description, describing how they look, their skin tone and outfits.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People praised ITV, calling the move "a remarkable example for the industry".

"I'm a tall, mixed race woman, I'm 28 years old, half-Swedish, half-Somali," host Maya Jama says in her audio description.

"I have long brown hair and brown eyes," she adds, saying that she likes to wear colourful clothes and that she's smiley and enthusiastic.

Ron Hall was the show's first visually impaired contestant - and he thinks it's a great move by ITV

Ron Hall, who's blind in one eye, was the show's first visually impaired contestant during this year's winter version.

The 25-year-old thinks ITV are making a positive "first step" when it comes to accessibility.

"It's quite a nice start that the place that gave me a platform is now following on from me being visually impaired and helping others as well," he tells BBC Newsbeat.

"Although I'd say it's quite a big group, people do forget about the blind and visually impaired, because people just live day to day and watch it normally.

"So it's nice that they're taking the first step."

'You want to know the drama'

Connor Scott-Gardner, who is blind, agrees and thinks it's good ITV are starting to think of fans like himself.

"I really look forward to the whole season to be honest," the 29-year-old says.

"In terms of audio description, I think it's a great step that ITV are taking and providing an element of audio description for blind fans.

"I have checked out the personal audio descriptions and I think it's interesting - it's definitely not something I expected."

Connor Scott-Gardner is excited to watch this series of Love Island

But Abi James-Miller, who's a big Love Island fan, thinks ITV could go further to enhance the experience for blind and visually impaired viewers.

The 24-year-old is visually impaired and often messages other fans on Twitter to find out what's happening on screen.

While the contestants and host have described themselves, and ITV say a villa tour is set to be uploaded, there's no audio description available for each episode.

Other reality shows, like Too Hot To Handle and Naked Attraction, offer audio descriptions.

"I feel the descriptions they've done don't go far enough to actually enhance the experience as a watcher," Abi says.

"I can find out who they are, if they've got a tattoo, but you want to know the drama, that's why I'm watching it.

"I think we need more integrated audio descriptions in Iain Stirling's presenting and his script."

Abi James-Miller thinks ITV need to do more to accommodate visually impaired and blind audiences

ITV says the nature of Love Island "means that there is very little space within the programme to add traditional audio description and no time ahead of transmission to write and record it".

"This is why we were so keen to create this additional content," it says.

Abi also says the show should include the audio descriptions on the channel's streaming service ITVX, instead of YouTube, so they're easier and less time-consuming for people to access.

ITV told Newsbeat it's looking to move additional audio descriptions on to ITVX in the future.

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Like Abi, Connor thinks there needs to be more audio descriptions of live and pre-recorded shows - Love Island is usually pre-recorded but the final is live - across the industry.

"I don't think it's perfect, but I think any push towards accessibility has to be a good thing," he says.

"And we need to view it as a positive as well as holding various media companies accountable and saying they also need to do more in future."

A spokesperson for Love Island says ITV is "committed to improving the accessibility of our shows on a continuous basis and we're always working on new ideas".

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