Virgin Island, bizarre new reality dating show, confirms Channel 4 air date

The new series will kick-start on Channel 4 on Monday 12th May at 9pm, before following it up with the second instalment at the same time the following day.

Detailed research by University College London reveals that one in eight 26-year-olds are still virgins, compared to one in 20 in previous generations. And the increase of social media, pornography and loneliness has seen a result of unprecedented levels of body image anxiety and a fear of sex and intimacy.

Virgin Island plans to explores those very issues, as some of the world's leading sexologists take the participants on a journey to help them make their first steps towards intimacy.

With young people struggling with intimacy in the "Love Island age", according to Channel 4's specialist factual commissioning editor Jonah Weston, Virgin Island continues the channel's long history of shows that are "provocative with purpose".

He told Broadcast: "Getting to the bottom of that and working out whether those young people could be helped just felt like a must-do.

"I hope viewers will be charmed and heartened by the incredible cast, who were brave enough to step forward and explore an issue that is affecting thousands of young people across the UK."

"Virgin Island isn't filling a gap per se, but intelligent and warm shows in that vein will always be welcome on Channel 4," he added.

Virgin Island begins on Channel 4 on Monday 12th May at 9pm. Stream on Channel4.com.

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