Love Island: Be kinder message from former contestant Danny Williams

Danny Williams, from Hull, starred on the show in 2019 but is now a mental health coach

A former Love Island contestant has urged viewers to be kinder to participants, saying the show has been "manipulated" to entertain audiences.

Danny Williams, from Hull, who was on the show in 2019, said the programme should not be taken "at face value".

The show has previously drawn criticism with Ofcom receiving 3,600 complaints in one week last year about alleged misogynistic behaviour.

The makers of Love Island have been approached for a comment.

During Danny's time in the villa, when he was 21, he become embroiled in a love triangle with co-contestants Yewande Biala and Arabella Chi.

The 25-year-old, who is now a mental health coach, said: "As someone who's gone through that experience, you're not fully aware of how much manipulation is going on.

"But I think it's important the viewers are aware of that so when they watch the show they are not thinking that's exactly how it looks at face value."

Danny said his experience of the Love Island villa had made him more aware of other peoples' struggles

Danny said he had grown up since appearing in the show and to "judge somebody at 20, 21 might be a bit harsh".

He said his experience had made him more aware of other peoples' struggles.

"Mental health wasn't really something I thought about before my experience of Love Island," he said.

"And then, having seen the highs and lows of it, it was kind of brought to the forefront of my attention and I had to address it.

"And, I guess going through that process I've now got to a point where it's something I am really passionate about."

Ahead of a new series starting next week, Danny said he wanted audiences to be considerate of the contestants.

"Ask yourself if that was your sibling would you let them off the hook a little bit? Would you say 'look, they're just a young person trying to figure things out and everybody makes mistakes'.

"I would implore people to have a little bit of empathy and just remind themselves that it's a manipulated television programme designed to entertain you."

However, despite criticisms levelled at the show Danny said there were "a lot of positives" as a result of appearing on the reality TV programme, with stars using their social media platform "for real long lasting change".