Vicky Pattison has asked Love Island fans to stop “attacking” this year’s contestants, following the deaths of two former Islanders.
Taking to Instagram, the Geordie beauty reminded her followers that Love Island stars Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis took their own lives in the past year.
Sharing two photos of the late Mike and Sophie, Vicky wrote: “What do you see here?! Let me tell you what I see, two beautiful, charismatic, fun loving & young people who should have had the world at their feet & their whole lives ahead of them.”
“Instead, they left this world all too soon not knowing just how loved they were.”
The former Geordie Shore star continued: “Now I haven’t managed to catch any of this year’s @loveisland – I’ve barely been in the country since it started. But I still read the news, follow the fan accounts, & my group chats still go off everytime it’s on… what I’m saying is it is impossible to avoid the reality tv juggernaut.”
“I just want to say I think the show is great – & I’m friends with so many of the ex islanders who I love a lot. But today I made the mistake of reading some people’s comments on social media when I couldn’t sleep & I’m not going to lie I was both shocked & saddened by what I read.”
Vicky wrote: “Regardless of who your favourite is on this show, who you ‘ship’, who you want to win, if you’re mad that someone’s left, or angry someone stayed, no matter what you actually may think or be saying in your group chat with your mates I urge you to be more mindful across social media.”
“Have we not witnessed the detrimental and irreversible affect our thoughtless words and reckless opinions can have on someone’s mental health?! Why are people still attacking these islanders with such verbal vitriol?! Do you know them personally?! Of course not!”
“Have they done anything to warrant it?! No way. Are they human?! YES! These people are no different to you and me and they have feelings and these hateful comments with have ramifications we can’t even begin to understand,” she said.
“It’s so ludicrous to me that after everything that’s happened this past year I’m still having to urge people to be kind but here we are. We have lost too many people and I know this isn’t confined to the world of reality tv.”
“Through the callous words of individuals, online hate and cyber bullying we are breaking people, destroying them and it has to stop. Think before you type. Your words have gravity,” Vicky added.
“Please be better than this internet culture of hate. Do not allow it to breed. Be kind, be compassionate. Be human ♥️ Let’s put the ‘love’ back in ‘love island’ for Sophie & Mike ????.”
Mike, who was on Love Island in 2017, was found dead at the age of 26 in a park back in March.
Meanwhile Sophie, who appeared on the show in 2016, took her own life at the age of 32 last year.
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