'Love Island' will not face investigation over 700 Tommy and Maura 'harassment' complaints

Ofcom will not carry out a detailed investigation into more than 700 complaints that Love Island contestant Maura Higgins sexually harassed fellow Islander Tommy Fury.

A total of 709 viewers contacted the broadcasting regulator after bombshell Islander Maura appeared to try to force a kiss on to the professional boxer.

Ofcom said that the scenes did not breach the “generally accepted standards” of reality TV competitions.

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Sparks of attraction immediately flew between Maura and Tommy when they shared a romantic date shortly after the 28-year-old Irish contestant’s arrival in the villa.

Tommy would later say that his head had been turned “560 degrees” by Maura, despite the fact he was coupled up with 19-year-old Molly-Mae Hague.

The pair bonded over her work as a boxing ring girl and they shared a number of flirty conversations.

After the date, Maura propositioned Tommy on one of the sofas in the villa and was seen trying to kiss him while he resisted.

An Ofcom spokeswoman said: “While we recognise that many viewers disapproved of a contestant's behaviour in this episode, we took into account the context in which it occurred, including the nature of Maura and Tommy's relationship, before and after.”

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The regulator is, however, still considering whether to investigate Love Island over other controversial moments.

Almost 800 viewers complained about contestant Lucie Donlan’s treatment by partner Joe Garratt early in the series and almost 200 viewers contacted Ofcom out of concern for Amy Hart in the explosive fallout of the recoupling after the return of second villa Casa Amor.

Love Island producers confirmed that Amy, in common with other Islanders, was offered psychological support.

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The complaints are not the only drama that has befallen this year’s series of the show, with Sherif Lanre forcibly dumped from the villa after making inappropriate comments.

He later claimed the show was biased against men and had a race problem.

Last year, more than 2,600 viewers complained about the treatment of eventual winner Dani Dyer during the previous iteration of Casa Amor.