Love Island USA producers being sued for alleged mistreatment of contestants

Love Island USA’s producers have been served a lawsuit for alleged sexual misconduct from several former staff members.

Love Island USA’s Season 5 has already started off as a rollercoaster of emotions.

While the new villa is absolutely gorgeous, and actress Sarah Hyland has returned for her second year of hosting, there are a few flaws to this season that need to be addressed.

For starters, there’s islander Bergie Bergersen. While he is definitely a fan favorite, viewers are not happy with the fact that he was thrown into this competition, with such a minimal romantic background.

But, this is an on-screen issue. Allegedly, there is major negative treatment going on behind the scenes of the show. And the accusations just went public.

What is the Love Island USA lawsuit alleging?

On July 21, PEOPLE reported about a lawsuit that was brought by several former staff members of Love Island USA.

“The complaint alleges that executive producers ‘pressured female Islanders to engage in sexual relationships without regard for their personal preferences or genuine consent.’ The EPs ‘were flippant with the concept of sexual consent,’” the outlet shared.

The staff members didn’t specify whether or not this pertained to every single season, or certain instances throughout the show so far.

The publication also shared the response NBC Universal gave to the legal action.

The spokesperson for ITV America stated, “This is a frivolous attack at an opportunistic moment, timed to the Season 5 debut, made by two former employees who were terminated for cause, purely in relation to their job performance.”

It’s unclear whether or not this lawsuit will affect the current season. As of now, Season 5 is still scheduled to air.

To stay updated on all things Love Island USA and the upcoming seasons, make sure to check our page here.