Love Island finalist Shakira Khan has spoken out about her portrayal on the latest series of the ITV2 reality show, claiming that editing decisions made her appear like a “villain.”
The 22-year-old, who finished as runner-up alongside her partner Harry Cooksley, says she felt unfairly targeted throughout the season.
In an interview with Fabulous magazine, Shakira said: “We constantly felt like villains. Every chance they got, they tried to kill us off.” She added that her close friends in the villa, including Toni Laites and Yasmin, also believed they were portrayed negatively compared to other contestants.
Toni supported Shakira’s remarks, recalling how both ended up in the bottom during the first public vote. “We spent weeks thinking it was us against the world, because that’s how everyone in there made us feel,” she said. The finalists suggested that tensions between the women often overshadowed questionable behavior from male contestants, who they claim “got away with whatever they wanted.”
Shakira also reflected on clashes with co-stars Helena and Meg, which escalated after she was seen as a threat in the early days of the competition. Just before the finale, she and Meg agreed they would not remain friends outside the villa.
The controversy prompted debate among viewers, with some fans on social media arguing that Shakira received harsher criticism due to selective editing. One fan wrote: “Why aren’t they showing when Meg kept talking bad about Shakira? Producers do better.”
TV regulator Ofcom confirmed that Love Island 2025 received thousands of complaints during its run, including 9,000 in a single week from viewers who felt Shakira was being bullied.
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