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Love Island host Maya Jama and her ‘glam squad’ made a 12,000-mile round trip to host just ten minutes of the show – despite ITV lecturing its viewers on how they can improve their carbon footprint to save the planet.
The presenter, her hairdresser, make-up artist and clothing stylist jetted off from the UK to Cape Town to record footage for last Friday and Sunday’s episodes of the winter version of the reality programme before flying back, after just 24 hours in South Africa.
On Friday, Maya was on screen for only five minutes and five seconds, and on Sunday she appeared for five minutes and 15 seconds.
The scenes on both shows were filmed from the lavish villa at the same time.
Backlash: Love Island host Maya Jama made a 12,000-mile round trip to host just ten minutes of the show despite ITV lecturing its viewers on how they can improve their carbon footprint (pictured in Cape Town)
Maya, who wore an orange dress priced at £390 by Spanish brand Syndical Chamber, thanked her three members of staff – hairdresser Jay Birmingham, her make-up artist who goes under the name of Letitia Sophia, and her stylist Rhea Francois, for their work on Instagram.
The foursome also posed up together in a photograph – although it is unclear whether it was taken during last week’s trip or earlier in January when they travelled to Cape Town for the launch of the show.
While the journey was made on a commercial flight, insiders at Love Island are dismayed that such an eco-unfriendly journey was made when ITV released a mandate which is headlined with the slogan: ‘The Biggest Shows with the Smallest Footprint’.
If they flew premium economy, each person’s carbon footprint would have been 4.58 metric tonnes of CO2.
The UK average carbon footprint is about ten tonnes CO2 per person per year.
The channel also publicly says it wants to be net zero by 2030, adding on its website: ‘We all have a part to play in tackling the climate crisis, at ITV we’re focusing on the little changes that make a big impact.’
It goes on: ‘Little changes you can make, here are some actions that we are taking at ITV that we can all do at home too.’
It then tells viewers to walk, bike or bus – rather than use a car – eat more vegetables, repair and reuse items such as clothes, switch to renewable energy, and cut food waste.
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Jet-setters: The presenter, her hairdresser, make-up artist and clothing stylist jetted off from the UK to Cape Town to record footage for last Friday and Sunday’s episodes
Fleeting appearance: On Friday, Maya was on screen for only five minutes and five seconds, and on Sunday she appeared for five minutes and 15 seconds
Glam squad: Maya, thanked her three members of staff – hairdresser Jay Birmingham, her make-up artist who goes under the name of Letitia Sophia, and her stylist Rhea Francois
ITV launched its campaign to help the environment in 2021 when they held their Climate Action Week which ran alongside Cop26.
One Love Island source said: ‘This is utterly hypocritical. For ITV to come out and tell the general public how to improve their carbon footprint but then their show uses up so much of it for just ten minutes of a show seems wrong.’
Maya, 28, is currently on holiday in Dubai after she hosted the show’s spin-off series Love Island: Aftersun, on Sunday night at Elstree, Hertfordshire, and will return to South Africa for the final later this month.
Expensive taste: Maya looked incredible in an orange dress priced at £390 by Spanish brand Syndical Chamber
However, she may appear from the villa one more time before the series ends.
The summer version of the show is filmed in Majorca but ITV bosses moved the winter show to South Africa as the weather is warmer.
A spokesman for ITV said: ‘Love Island aims to achieve the highest standards of sustainability both on and off screen and our efforts have been recognised by achieving Bafta’s ‘albert Certification’ standard, which is a requirement for all ITV shows.
‘We are entirely committed to tackling climate change and championing sustainability, and we always seek to influence our audience on how to live life in a sustainable way, through initiatives such as our pre-loved fashion partnership and reusable water bottles.
‘Additionally, this series, the Love Island Villa location generates its own electricity via solar panels and wherever possible we use local crews and local suppliers to lower our carbon footprint.’
Hypocritical: While the journey was made on a commercial flight, insiders at Love Island are dismayed that such an eco-unfriendly journey was made
