Kate Andrews Kate Andrews

In defence of Love Island’s Dr Alex George

Yes, he's an NHS doctor. No, you don't own him.

Love it or hate it, you’re likely well aware that season four of Love Island launched on Monday night. The media frenzy is impossible to escape.

Traditional and social media are a-buzz about the contestants, the couplings, and the budding drama that is bound to escalate in coming weeks. But the first episode had its critics – and I’m not just referring those who think the sexual escapades of Brits on holiday shouldn’t be at the top of the news agenda.

One of the contestants received particularly intense backlash from the public – presumably not for the same reasons the ladies didn’t step forward to choose him, but because of his job. Or rather, a job he’s put on hold.

Alex George is an A&E doctor in the National Health Service, who has taken eight weeks off to ‘look for love’. According to the Daily Mail, Alex was able to jet off to Majorca thanks to a ‘zero-hours contract’ through which he is employed (which we can assume amounts to locum work within the NHS).

While Alex was deeply worried about what his colleagues might think when they see him on the show – ‘When my work people see this, oh my god!’ – he was probably less prepared for what the public reaction would be to his two month sabbatical.

Alex is facing some scathing attacks for his decision to prioritise a reality TV programme over his commitments in A&E. Viewers at home are expressing deep anger that a doctor would consider leaving his job for Love Island during a time of staff shortages and other structural failures within the NHS.

ITV’s The Wright Show featured the frustrations on its programme this morning, asking viewers what they make of a ‘highly trained NHS doctor…taking eight weeks off A&E duties to compete in TV sex-fest?’

It seems clear-cut to me that this is not a question up for public discussion.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Keep reading with a free trial

Subscribe and get your first month of online and app access for free. After that it’s just £1 a week.

There’s no commitment, you can cancel any time.

Or

Unlock more articles

REGISTER

Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in