We’re the Love Island

In my eyes anything that promotes the island in a positive manor is a good thing. So last Monday Love Island started on ITV2. Like it or loathe it, it puts our island into a lot of people’s living rooms and that’s not a bad thing. No matter what the programme does the island still looks beautiful.

Love Island bosses were smiling on Tuesday after Mondays launch of the show’s fifth series was watched by a record average of 3.3 million viewers.

Last year’s first show attracted an audience of 2.9 million, continuing a steady increase in launch-night figures for the ITV2 series each year since 2015.

The 15 minutes of fame that the contestants gain can work in their favour meaning after the show they do a series of appearances in the UK and abroad. I’ve met a few of them at Pirates and interviewed the 2016 winners Cara Delahoyde and Nathan Massey on the radio. They have since had a baby together and are now engaged to be married. Cara came to Mallorca for her hen weekend and celebrated a night out at Pirates Reloaded a few weeks ago.

Probably where the contestants gain the most is through Instagram and being paid to make a sponsored post. The top 5 earners from the 2018 series are;

Even Kendall Rae Wright who was the first to be dumped last year after just 6 days gets £3,870 posting to her 900,000 Insta followers! Nice work if you can get it. But what happens when that fame and money dries up?

Well unfortunately there’s a darker side. There’s been criticism of the show due to the very sad suicides of former contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon which has led to increased calls for mental health treatment for reality TV stars. With season five now in full swing, ITV says they have released new guidelines that address the mental health of the contestants. According to the ITV guidance, contestants will now have access to more psychological support, including “detailed conversations with potential Islanders regarding the impact of participation on the show, bespoke training for all Islanders on social media and financial management, and a proactive aftercare package which extends support to all Islanders following their participation.”

Whilst the actual game of football between Liverpool and Spurs was somewhat disappointing in the Champions League Final last weekend the behaviour of the fans was amazing. You might have seen a front page headline in the Spanish sports paper Marca about 5 days before the game which read which read “MIEDO” or fear, in reference to what they say were comments from bar owners in Madrid. I honestly think it was a slow news day as if I was a Madrid bar owner I’d be rubbing my hands at the thought of all those fans coming. Unfortunately we as a nation have a reputation and regardless of which club it is the foreign press think all our supporters are the same. I had a lot of friends there and they all said how good natured it was even with the mixture of the intense heat and alcohol. It’s a shame that the press didn’t report how good it was.

Ed Sheeran who played in Barcelona last night and will play in Madrid on Tuesday has revealed that he’s teaming up with Heinz to release his own brand of its famous tomato ketchup.

Deemed ‘Edchup’, Sheeran shared the news with his 29 million Instagram followers.

“It’s actually real and you’ll be able to get your hands on one very soon,” the pop star wrote, alongside a picture of himself kissing the special edition bottle of ketchup, which also features a smiling tomato with Sheeran’s face on.

The post has already garnered more than 1.2 million likes, including one by Friends actress Courtney Cox. “Love this!!!” she commented, alongside three crying laughter emojis.

The collaboration is part of a celebration of World Ketchup Day and Heinz’ 150th anniversary. Sheeran is a well-known fan of the ketchup brand and even has a tattoo of the company’s logo on his arm.

Heartbreak for Atletico Baleares last weekend as a 1-1 home draw with Racing Santander meant they lost their play-off on the away goals rule. I got the feeling that they thought the hard work was done after drawing 0-0 away but anyone in football will tell you that in a two legged tie 0-0 is in fact one of the worst scores. So it proved in which was another poor game to watch to be honest. The saving grace is that it’s not over yet, as the very strange play-off system here means they are now in the quarter-finals of the play-offs with the teams that finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th. They play away against UD Melilla who finished third in group 4 of Segunda B, They have been in the play-offs only once before in 1999. If Baleares can get through this there’s still another potential 4 games to reach La Liga 123.

Better news for Real Mallorca who after drawing 1-1 on Tuesday with Granada have reached the play-offs. A season best attendance of 13,839 meant a great atmosphere at the Son Moix. They join, Malaga, Albacete and one from Deportivo, Cadiz and Real Oviedo. Once all the final games of the season are over at the Weekend we will know who they will be playing and when. The play-offs in La Liga 123 are a little easier with 3rd playing 6th and 4th playing 5th and the winners playing a two legged final to get promotion to La Liga. The first legs will be played on Wednesday and Thursday next week and the second legs on Saturday and Sunday. Ticket prices and box office opening times can be found at www.rcdmallorca.es

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday07.30-11.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.com on mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. . If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance!

Feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.