A Love Island winner has shared their thoughts on two Islanders having already quit the new series of All Stars.
The second series of the ITV2 show, which launched three weeks ago, has seen two Islanders walk out of the villa in South Africa in recent episodes. There's been concern that others could follow them ahead of the upcoming final.
Scott Thomas, 36, became the first Islander to quit whilst in the villa on Sunday night's episode, with him saying that it was the "right time" after struggling to develop a romance. Then on Monday's episode, viewers saw co-star Ron Hall, 27, announce that he would be leaving as he shared: "What chance is that right person gonna walk through the door."
Ron's departure had been reported prior to his exit airing and former Love Island winner Kai Fagan, 26 shared his thoughts on Instagram ahead of the episode's broadcast. He posted a video message on the platform earlier on Monday. Kai - who wrote in the caption that all he knew was what he'd seen reported - said: "I've just seen that Ron's left the villa. Obviously this comes a day after Scott's left it. But what I want to add is - I rate how genuine they've both been. How they've both been able to identity that that's not the place where they're gonna find worthwhile connections."
He continued in the message to his followers: "Although this would have been a tough decision for them, they've thought 'y'know what, sack this, sack the clout. I don't care. I'm being real to myself and I'm going'. And that's what I rate so much."
Former Islander Kai - who's now engaged to fellow winner Sanam Harrinanan after meeting on Love Island - went on to describe the villa as the "loneliest place" for contestants "struggling to make a connection". He added that stars are left with their thoughts and unable to contact loved ones. He said in the video shared on Monday: "Now believe me with this – if you're in that villa and you're struggling to make a connection with someone, you're struggling, you feel a bit out of place, it is the loneliest place you'll ever be. You have no connection to the outside world."
Kai concluded: "You can't contact your friends. You can't contact your family. You don't even know what's happening. You just have to sit there in your thoughts. So to be able to remove yourself from that situation, it's the right thing to do if you just don't feel that it's right for you."
Since then, it's been reported that two former Islanders quit All Stars before even entering the villa this year. Scott van-der-Sluis, 24, has said he had "pulled out" days before the show began for "various reasons," whilst Lucinda Strafford, 25, reportedly decided she no longer wanted to appear after having already arrived in South Africa recently.
Following the news that Scott and Ron had left, ITV is said to have told the Tab that Islanders have 24/7 access to welfare to help make such choices. As previously reported, ITV said in a statement: "Cast are told they should consider all the potential implications of taking part in the show and work through this decision-making process in consultation with their family and those closest to them, to ensure they feel it is right for them. A welfare team [is] solely dedicated to the Islanders both during the show and after."
Love Island All Stars continues on Wednesday night from 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
