Love Island favourite reveals shocking filming secret and calls out All Stars backlash
20 January 2026, 13:25
Former Love Island star Shakira Khan has revealed a huge filming secret about one of the show's most popular games.
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Former Love Island finalist Shakira Khan has revealed a shocking filming secret about the show’s “heavily produced content”, after All Stars received criticism from viewers.
Shakira made her Love Island debut last year and instantly became a fan-favourite. From emotionally ending things with Conor Phillips to a messy love triangle involving Helena Ford and Harry Cooksley, viewers closely followed the highs and lows of her villa journey.
Now, as All Stars hit the ground running many fans have hit out and called the show 'boring'. Amid the backlash, Shakira has spoken out - not only to defend the All Stars contestants, but to insist how "heavily-edited" the show really is.
In a TikTok video, Shakira shared that many situations and challenges are "orchestrated" by producers. She said: "Even in challenges, like you'll do a challenge and you'll have to lock in your answers what you're going to do for that challenge before it's even happened.
"So nothing is situational, you can't even change things."
She added: "For example, in 'Snog, Marry, Pie', you have to lock in your answers, so you can't react to that. If someone mugged you off you can't even react to it because you locked in your answers.
"You might have to kiss that person even if they've just mugged you off."
'Snog, Marry, Pie' has become a staple in the Love Island franchise, a game where the islanders have to even kiss the islander they fancy, give them a ring, or pie them with a plate full of whipped cream.
Shakira claimed that producers at different levels are involved to ensure the show has an entertaining storyline for viewers - which can go as far as cutting entire scenes to maintain drama.
She also said that although she had “relationships with some people” those scenes never made the final cut because they were “boring” and didn’t “fit the narrative".
The former islander told fans that anyone calling the current All Stars season 'boring', should remember that the cast are "being told to do things" to make entertaining TV.
She said: "If there is drama, you complain. If there isn't drama, you complain."
Shakira even reflected on her own season and suggested watching it back "doesn't make sense,” because of how the clips are edited.
Read more about Love Island here:
- Love Island first look sees Scott and Charlie row rock the villa
- Love Island All Stars' Konnor Ewudzi and AJ Bunker's shared history explained
- Who did Love Island All Stars' Jack Keating have a baby with?
- Love Island's Casey called "messy" for response to Samie going on All Stars
- How much are the Love Island All Stars 2026 cast paid?
- Love Island All Stars recoupling updates: Who's coupled up with who on Love Island?
