From Playing It Straight to Towie, queer people haven’t always had it easy on reality TV. But times are changing – and ITV has a chance to lead the way
Homophobes have been having a tough time of it lately, what with Lil Nas X’s queer anthem Montero being at No 1 for four weeks despite a backlash from conservative critics, and Love Island producers said to be actively encouraging LGBTQ+ singletons to apply via Tinder.
This step wouldn’t provide the show with its first same-sex couplings – female bisexual constestants have already coupled up in both the UK and Australian editions – but it would mark the first time the show has intentionally included LGBTQ+ people. It’s hard to tell whether this is yet another cynical spin on the prevalent practice of queerbaiting (a marketing technique in which creators hint at, but then do not actually depict, queer romance or representation). In any case, it’s a stark U-turn from comments in 2017 from ITV’s director of television, Kevin Lygo. At the Edinburgh television festival, when talk turned to proactively including LGBT+ contestants in dating shows, Lygo swatted away the suggestion, saying that the format didn’t allow it. He went on to add that “there are quite enough gay people on television”. In fact, according to Glaad in the US, LGBTQ+ representation in television has dropped for the first time. It is lacking in TV generally, and in reality TV and reality TV dating shows in particular.
The reality TV boom of the early 00s prioritised salaciousness which, disturbingly, meant TV shows were more than happy to feature queer contestants, but only to use their identity as a punchline. In 2003’s Boy Meets Boy, a gay lead had to choose a partner from 15 potential male suitors, with the “twist” being that both gay and straight men were in the lineup. A year later, There’s Something About Miriam tasked men with winning over the heart of Miriam Rivera and a cash prize, with the series built around the revelation that she was transgender. The same year, Playing It Straight required its female lead to guess which of her suitors on a Nevada ranch were gay in order to win prize money. A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila didn’t feature such obviously problematic plot points, but nevertheless presented bisexuality as equal parts confusion and greed.
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