2021’s Love Island finale has sparked criticism towards ITV executives, with contestants alleging that they were portrayed unfairly as antagonists throughout the show.
Previously, followers saw the conclusion of the twelfth season of the dating program last month, when Maya Jama declared Toni Laites and Cach Mercer as the champions in the live finale broadcasted from the villa.
In the final round, Toni, the initial U.S. competitor in the British edition, stood alongside Shakira Khan and Yasmin Pettet as the top three contenders.
After approximately a month since their departure from the Majorca mansion, the three women are claiming that ITV portrayed them in an unfavorable light, suggesting they were made to appear as ‘antagonists.’
Fans of Love Island expressed disapproval regarding the editing of certain scenes, with a focus on the much-anticipated Movie Night.
Shakira expressed to The Sun’s Fabulous magazine that it was frustrating because they often failed to display the full picture.



‘We constantly felt like villains. Every chance they got, they tried to kill us off.’
Toni noted, “In our initial public vote, Shakira and I found ourselves at the bottom. For several weeks, we felt like we were up against the entire world due to the way everyone inside made us feel.
For several weeks, the Islanders found it difficult to get along in this popular series, as the ladies acknowledged. This is something fans haven’t witnessed often in recent times.
Toni confessed that for quite some time, there was a lack of harmony among the group. For several weeks in a row, no genuine partnerships formed due to the inability of individuals to tolerate communicating with each other.
Previously, the women had shared that the villa exhibited a chilly and high-tension atmosphere during the summer months.
The disagreements between the women competitors on the ITV2 program sparked discussions among viewers, as Toni, Shakira, and Yasmin found themselves at odds with Meg Moore and Helena Ford.
In an interview with i-D magazine, the trio affirmed that the tension among them was indeed genuine, and the villa frequently carried an uncomfortable vibe.
When speaking to i-D magazine, these three women confirmed that the tension they experienced in the villa was authentic and often left an awkward atmosphere in its wake.
In my expert opinion as a lifestyle guide, let me share a personal observation: Encountering a sudden silence after turning a corner can be quite isolating, creating an icy and tense atmosphere. It’s not pleasant at all. Now, I’m not suggesting this was due to poor editing; we made every effort to rectify it. But, that’s our experience – we lived it.


Toni, the winner, and Yasmin, the new arrivals, both experienced dislike from a few of the other women.
In my own words, I followed Yasmin’s lead by treating the fresh faces in the billa with kindness, emulating the typical behavior of a high school setting that she referred to.
She mentioned: ‘We felt more like strangers among the rest of the group. So, whenever newcomers arrived later on, we would make friends with them – we didn’t want others to experience that feeling of being an outsider.’
In a straightforward and conversational manner, here’s how you could rephrase that sentence: Shakira believes that she, along with Toni and Yasmin, have always been open about expressing their emotions, but sometimes this honesty has created misunderstandings or discomfort among others in the villa.
She said: ‘If you say it how it is, and you’re honest, you’re called “a b*tch”, you’re “nasty”.
I don’t agree with speaking negatively about someone when they aren’t around to defend themselves. And gathering together to gossip or criticize someone seems unfair.

On the fifth day, I found myself stepping into the villa, where I soon established a strong connection with Toni. However, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of being scrutinized by certain female peers when I began engaging more openly with the gentlemen, a situation that didn’t quite sit well with me.
She told Toni: ‘I’m not joking, getting ready then the vibes felt so off.
Instead of simply acknowledging or commenting on something because it’s the words themselves that don’t matter, it’s the underlying energy that truly counts.
Toni replied: ‘You know everyone is interested in you.’
Toni and Cach Mercer emerged victorious in the competition, but Shakira came in second alongside Harry Cooksley. Yasmin placed third together with Jamie Rhodes.
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2025-08-23 12:48