Love Island 2019: Joe’s treatment of Lucie sees furious domestic abuse charity blast show as mental health boss reports it to Parliament

LOVE Island was yesterday plunged into a new crisis as a charity complained of Joe Garrett’s “abusive” behaviour towards tearful Lucie Donlan. Lucie, 21, broke down after Joe told her to stay away from the other boys. Adina Claire of Women’s Aid said: “Abusive relationships often start off with subtle signs of control.” Horrified fans […]

LOVE Island was yesterday plunged into a new crisis as a charity complained of Joe Garrett’s “abusive” behaviour towards tearful Lucie Donlan.

Lucie, 21, broke down after Joe told her to stay away from the other boys.

Adina Claire of Women’s Aid said: “Abusive relationships often start off with subtle signs of control.”

Horrified fans also called on  ITV to step in to help tormented Lucie.

Lucie has repeatedly burst into tears on the show, most recently after Joe moaned that she was spending too much time with boxer Tommy Fury.

Her misery and the failure of producers to come to her aid triggered a flood of Twitter protests and more than 300 complaints of TV watchdog Ofcom.

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Joe has been unhappy over Lucie spending time with the boxer[/caption]

Ex-Love Island contestant Malin Andersson tweeted: “Can the producers make sure Lucie is OK please?”

One viewer laid into Joe, saying: “He is so controlling.

“Lucie, get out girl.”

Another added: “Seeing actual signs of emotional abuse on Love Island is excruciating.”

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Joe also complained that she was spending too much time with Tommy Fury[/caption]

A third said: “Its actually becoming uncomfortable to watch how everyone is treating Lucie.

“I’d genuinely worry for her mental health.”

Adina Claire of domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid, said: “Controlling behaviour is never acceptable.

“With Love Island viewers complaining about Joe’s possessive behaviour towards Lucie, more people are becoming aware of this and want to challenge it.

“Abusive relationships often start off with subtle signs of control.”

The fans’ anger came as Dr Antonis Kousoulis, Director of the Mental Health Foundation, said he had reported the show to MPs on the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee.

He said: “Reality TV production companies have a duty of care to contestants to protect their mental health.”

The committee is investigating suicides of reality TV contestants, including Love Island’s Mike Thalassitis, 26.

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Former contestant Mike Thalassitis died by suicide in March[/caption]

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Ex-contestant Malin Andersson tweeted: ‘Can the producers make sure Lucie is OK please?’[/caption]

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Love Island has been thrown into a new crisis over the treatment of contestant Lucie Donlan[/caption]

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A domestic abuse charity has complained about Joe Garrett’s abusive behaviour towards Lucie[/caption]

ITV Chief Executive Carolyn McCall will be questioned by the committee on Tuesday over the broadcaster’s pledge before the start of the current series to improve welfare support for contestants.

A source close to Joe denied he was pressurising Lucie, adding: “You can see he only wants the best for her.”

An ITV spokeswoman said: “We take the emotional wellbeing of all the Islanders extremely seriously.”

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