Why watching Love Island with your parents isn't the worst thing

Love Island is a popular show among many demographics, ranging from pre-teens to 60-somethings, school kids to Oxford grads. It's been a part of my teenage life – whether that be watching Love Island during my Duke of Edinburgh award with my teachers and my friends, or discussing which islander is peng (which means attractive, among youth) with my friends.

However, there is one thing that makes me different from most GenZers: I watch Love Island with my parents. My parents are currently fanatical about ‘family time’, and they both know that myself and my siblings are Love Island fans, so they are insistent that we watch the ITV dating show together, so we can engage in more quality – and arguably more awkward and embarrassing – ’family time’.

Love Island is notorious for its provocative challenges, mercurial islanders, and is the only show in which sharing a bed with horny, sex-starved, random strangers is acceptable.

In reality, watching Love Island with my parents shouldn’t be so embarrassing; the Love Island 2021 contestants are doing normal things 20-year-olds would do, after all.

But my parents are deeply religious and anything sexual, affectionate or provocative is taboo in their culture and is definitely a no-no. Watching anything slightly sexual on TV can amplify what is already a very uncomfortable situation.

My parents are also your stereotypical 40-year-old parents: they are deeply conservative, prudish, don’t grasp sexual lingo, totally uncool and, in every situation, they exacerbate awkwardness.

This shone through from the moment series seven of Love Island started on Monday, 28th June.

“There is nothing wrong with getting your boobs out,” Shannon said during her introduction. Both my parents were astonished by how frank she was, and both talked about how they felt sorry for her “poor mother”.

The discomfort didn't end there: when Hugo entered the villa and no girl would step forward for him, my mother began screaming at the female islanders: "Are you blind, he is good looking?!"

She then went on to say how Hugo reminded her of my "good looking PE teacher from year eight"; I was completely lost for words, whilst my dad was envious of said PE teacher.

The most exasperating thing about watching Love Island with my parents is probably that I have to explain what obvious stuff means. I had to explain what Brad meant when he told Faye that she is not getting “any sort of vibes off” him. I also had to explain the dual interpretation of "birds", when Jake told Chloe how he likes to get up early and do “bird watching”.

Alcohol is strictly forbidden in my faith, so any endurance game is a no-no. When the islanders were playing beer pong, nobody knew where to look, especially when one of Liberty's dare were to get into “three different sex positions, with a member of the opposite sex".

The recent strip-down challenge on Sunday was the worst. Awkwardness was at its peak. We all tried changing the subject and pretended not to be paying attention to what was going on.

I’ve also had to explain things no person should ever have to explain to the parents. For example, what “spooning” or what a “toe fetish” is. Of course, there are a colossal amount of benefits to having old and starchy parents like mine; some stuff they have not picked up on, like when Kaz said she wants a guy to “rail her", saving me a lot of embarrassment.

Although traditionally, it shouldn't be acceptable to watch Love Island with my extremely religious parents, that doesn't mean I won't watch it with them. In fact, we've been tuning into the new series as a family every night since it begun. And there have been several small joys from doing so.

It has been refreshing seeing my parents get fanatical about a TV show that their children equally love and it has been nice to see islanders growing on them. Initially, my parents hated Shannon but they were filled with pathos when she was abruptly booted out.

Equally, my parents adored Faye but loathe her now for not continuing the short spark she had with the “good looking teacher” (AKA Hugo).

It's also been hilarious hearing my dad comment on who has had their teeth whitened, despite the fact that most people don't get their teeth whitened these days and instead have veneers.

It's been quite nice to observe the age and cultural differences between myself and my parents. Most of my friends' parents watch Love Island but none of them watch it together. My mother follows a few of my friends on Instagram and Facebook, and when they post about Love Island, it is charming to see her engaging in the ‘convo’.

I would prefer to watch Love Island alone. I think the show is best watched clandestinely without fear of awkwardness, embarrassment or answering any of your dad's peculiar questions every five minutes. But when you have no choice, and your mum insists on making it a 'family activity', I guess it isn't all that bad. You're bound to have a laugh, that's for sure!

New episodes of Love Island are on ITV2 every night at 9pm, except Saturdays. Episodes are also available to stream on the ITV Hub. For more info check out Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook. While you’re waiting, check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.