Watching your son or daughter competing on a show designed to test their emotions and their relationships – while not always portraying their best qualities – can be tough.
Current Love Island contestant Chloe Burrows’ shocked family have asked viewers to be kinder to Chloe, writing on her Instagram account, “The amount of trolling Chloe has been receiving is disgusting. This morning we woke up to yet another DM encouraging Chloe to kill herself.”
For these three mums, seeing their kids on TV may have been a dream come true, but it was also an emotional roller coaster…
‘My jaw was on the floor the night that Rosie got intimate’
Sharon Williams, 51, from Rhondda, is the mum of Rosie Williams, who spent two weeks on the show in series four
I watched every episode, sitting on the floor, as close as possible to the TV. Rosie and I usually talk every day, so I needed those updates. But Rosie’s dad, Steve, went to bed and scrolled through Twitter, asking, “What’s she done?” whenever she trended.
(Image: ITV)
I remember the night she joined the DBS [Do Bits Society – the name the Islanders adopt when they get intimate], my jaw was on the floor. I wasn’t against her doing the show – young people should have fun before taking on responsibilities – but I assumed she’d be more sensible. She’d spent years training to be a solicitor, and was always trying to make me and Steve proud.
After that night under the sheets with Adam [Collard], she was on the front page of newspapers and that was hard to deal with. We live in a close-knit community, so her sister Evie would hear people talking about Rosie at the shops.
When we were reunited, Rosie explained that you forget the cameras are there, so I was able to understand why it happened and move on, but Steve wouldn’t talk to her for weeks.
As soon as I saw Adam on-screen, I knew that Rosie would go for him. She tends to go for the players. When he didn’t treat
her nicely by talking about her to the other Islanders, all I wanted to do was give her a cwtch [Welsh for hug]. I’d get a call every day from a welfare officer in Majorca, who had contact with Rosie. We weren’t allowed to pass on messages but I’d beg her to push Adam in the pool.
Women’s Aid accused Adam of gaslighting when he suggested Rosie was overreacting when he was getting to know Zara and I think it did start an important conversation. But I never said anything negative publicly, because he was a 22-year-old man and I knew he’d also have a mum watching. I did not want her to read anything else negative, as I knew how hard it was for me.
Being reunited with Rosie in London when she’d been dumped from the island after two weeks was incredible. It was almost like nothing had changed, but of course everything did for her.
Unfortunately, the constant trolling made her more critical of herself, including the way she looks, and anxious about going out. It’s hard for me, too, as she’s my baby girl.
I’m thrilled that she’s done well with her fashion business, White Collar. Rosie doesn’t regret her decision to do Love Island, and if she’s happy, I’m happy.”
‘I was heartbroken watching Curtis break up with Amy’
Debi Pritchard, 48, from Stoke-On-Trent, is the mum of Curtis, who reached the final of series five
Curtis spent a lot of his life competing in dance so when his brother AJ suggested he apply for Love Island I was all for it, thinking the break could do him good. Initially, when he coupled up with Amy, he was getting so much love. But my mother’s instinct told me it wasn’t going to work out and it took a real turn when he decided to break up with her.
(Image: ITV)
I got lots of terrifying messages telling me I should die, and Curtis should die. As a mum, it’s hard to deal with – it made me cry. It would’ve been easy for Curtis to stick with Amy to maintain his popularity, but he wasn’t compromising himself for the sake of a show. I was proud of him for doing the right thing.
I cried for Amy, too. I was heartbroken for her and I knew Curtis would feel terrible. If I could have phoned him at that point, I would have told him to feel the pain, but move on.
During their break-up, he told Amy, “I also want to be the person that gets up and makes everyone a coffee so everyone’s ready for the morning,” when she asked why he didn’t want to cuddle. I knew he was trying to say he wants to make everyone happy – that’s just what he’s like – but that line was taken out of context and made into a meme.
I didn’t miss a single episode. I’d feel a nervous energy before 9pm, then when it was on, I’d feel everything he was feeling. There were some great moments that made me feel like the world was seeing the Curtis I know and love – like the time he put on pink hot pants that were three sizes too small.
If I could give this year’s mums advice it would be to stay off social media if you can’t deal with criticism of your children. And just to support them – their lives will change beyond recognition, so they’ll need their mums!”
‘When she passed wind on camera, I thought, “that’s my Cara!”’
Debbie De La Hoyde, 56, from Kent, is the mum of series two winner Cara De La Hoyde
Cara’s always been strong-minded – she’s never really gone for the norm. When she was eight, we had a meeting with a priest ahead of her baptism and he asked Cara what she wanted to be when she was older and she replied, “I’d like to be a lap dancer.”
(Image: PA)
She is an extrovert – friends would always tell me she’d be on TV one day. Cara didn’t ask for my advice about going on the show, she just told me what was happening and that was that.
My plan was to just watch the first episode and then leave her to it, but I got hooked. Even my eighty-something dad ended up loving the show.
I felt like I learnt new things about my daughter. I loved seeing her so relaxed, just munching crisps and staying out of the drama, or when she accidentally passed wind while having a serious chat. That’s my Cara!
I even got to watch her meet her future husband. Initially, Essex carpenter Nathan didn’t seem like her type, but he made her laugh with his cheeky nature. Admittedly, I didn’t think it would last long when they left the show, but they’ve proved me wrong. They’re married with two gorgeous children, three-year-old Freddie and baby Delilah.
When the scenes were shown of Cara having sex on TV that’s when I’d get up and make myself tea. It didn’t really bother me – I was proud how she was coming across.
Nathan’s parents threw a party for the finale and all his friends were there, including Tommy Mallet from The Only Way Is Essex. It was funny to meet all these people because of my daughter. Watching Cara win was amazing. I was jumping up and down. It meant so much to me that the UK had taken my beloved daughter into their hearts.