Ofcom won't investigate Love Island viewers' complaints about Maura
Ofcom has said that it won't be investigating Love Island's Maura's behaviour towards Tommy earlier in the series.
The broadcasting watchdog confirmed a total of 709 complaints have been prompted by Maura trying on multiple occasions to get Tommy to kiss her.
However, Ofcom says the episode didn't breach TV's "generally accepted standards".
"While we recognise that many viewers disapproved of a contestant's behaviour in this episode, we took into account the context in which it occurred, including the nature of Maura and Tommy's relationship, before and after," a spokeswoman said.
The watchdog is still considering whether to investigate the show over other moments that generated complants; for example, when former islander Joe told partner Lucie that he was "not happy" about her friendship with Tommy, before saying that things would only work out between them if she changed her behaviour.
At the time, the comments caused Women's Aid's Co-Chief Executive Adina Claire to release a statement warning that "controlling behaviour is never acceptable."
"Controlling behaviour is never acceptable, and with Love Island viewers complaining to Ofcom in record numbers about Joe’s possessive behaviour towards Lucie, more people are becoming aware of this and want to challenge it," the statement read.
"Abusive relationships often start off with subtle signs of control, so it’s important that it is recognised at an early stage. Love Island viewers are now very vocal in calling out unhealthy behaviour between couples on the show, and this is a positive development."
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse in a relationship, call the Freephone 24/7 National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Women’s Aid in partnership with Refuge, on 0808 2000 247 or visit the Women's Aid website.
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