What are the Love Island 2019 rules and which one did Sherif break?

12 June 2019, 14:31

By Katie Louise Smith

How do you break the Love Island rules? From masturbation and safe sex to smoking and drinking, here are all the strict rules that contestants must abide by in the villa.

What exactly are the rules of Love Island? Following the shock removal of 2019's Sherif Lanre, people are now wondering what rules the Islanders must abide by and what kind of behaviour will get them kicked out.

Before each season begins, each contestant is given a rule book which contains all the things that Islanders are not permitted to do - including excessive alcohol consumption, unsafe sex and masturbation. A spokesperson for the show explained that the Islanders are also given “a strict briefing regarding acceptable behaviour" before they enter the villa.

While several people have left the villa over the past 5 seasons (including Niall Aslam and Zara Holland), only two people have been removed from the villa for 'breaking the rules'. In season 2, Malia Arkian was kicked out within an hour following a physical altercation with Kady McDermott and in season 5, Sherif Lanre came to a 'mutual agreement' with producers and was removed. The reason why has still not been explained.

While Love Island producers have never released the full list of rules and guidelines, former contestants have all shared detailed descriptions of things they aren't allowed to do - and here's everything we know so far.

What are the rules of Love Island 2019? How do you break them?

Love Island rules: Here's every way you can get kicked out of the villa. Picture: ITV

Smoking inside the villa or villa garden is now forbidden.

Following an onslaught of complaints over how much smoking was "glamourised" on-screen in season three, a new rule was implemented that now sees Islanders only allowed to smoke in a designated area outside the villa - and they're only allowed to go one by one.

A spokesperson for ITV said: “Producers have provided a designated smoking area outside the villa where Islanders will be able to have a cigarette if they chose to.”

No phones.

Despite the recent news that Islanders leave the villa to spend a day at the beach every Sunday, they're not allowed any contact with the "outside world." That means they have to give up all their personal devices before entering the villa. They are each given a phone where they can receive texts from producers - and each other - and have access to the camera for quality behind the scenes content. Signals are blocked and they cannot receive calls or texts from anyone outside.

No 'prohibited items'.

That includes books. Not even allowed a damn book to read while you're catching rays. Smh.

No nudity.

While there's been couple occasions where the Islanders have stripped down to jump in the pool, there is reportedly a strict no nudity policy on the show. Reports suggest that contestants aren't even allowed to shower naked because it's considered a public space. That and the cameras are rolling at all times...

No masturbating.

According to several sources, contestants are not allowed to masturbate. Former contestant Simon Searles confirmed to The Sun that the no masturbating rule was legit, saying: “There are lads who’ve done nothing for four weeks. They’re suffering.”

No violent behaviour.

If a contestant gets physically abusive toward another, they will be removed immediately. Malia Arkian was removed from the villa after when she "shoved" Kady McDermott in season 2 following a heated argument.

No inappropriate, abusive or racist language.

Season four contestant Theo Campbell revealed that there were three main rules that resulted in an immediate removal from the villa if they were broken. Fighting (as described above), being sexually forceful and using racist slurs.

No excessive drinking.

There’s been a lot of discussion about how much alcohol the Islanders are allowed to consume. Season 2's Kady told Cosmo that they were only allowed two glasses a night. 2016 contestant Liana Isadora Van-Riel told The Sun Online: "You're allowed one or two drinks a night, either wine or beer, no spirits.”

Producers have since confirmed that there is no drink limit, although they do keep an eye on the alcohol consumption in general. “We provide our Islanders with all of the necessary precautionary measures and all alcohol consumption is strictly monitored by our production team,” they stated.

No branded clothing.

This is mainly due to the show's sponsors and product placements because they're usually paying for exclusivity. This year, the show is sponsored by online fashion brand I Saw It First who provide the islanders with clothes should they need something new to wear. In previous years, former contestant Kady told OK! magazine that they “weren’t allowed branded clothes in the villa, nothing with a brand even the smallest things...They do tell you beforehand, but even the tiniest things were taken away."

No drunk sex.

According to season 4's Simon, the Love Island guidebook specifically mentions that you should not have sex with someone if they're have too much to drink. “You never really get a lot of drink but they do say if someone’s had too much to drink do not have sex with them,” he said.

No unsafe sex.

Obviously. Producers are incredibly strict when it comes to sex on the show. Islanders are supplied with Love Island's own branded condoms (according to reports, there's around 200 of them available for the islanders to use.)

Islanders are made to take full STI checks before entering the villa and there's also a councillor/therapist on set at all times should the contestants ever want to talk or need emergency contraception. Reports also suggest that contestants are required to talk to a therapist after they have sex on the show.