An expert has predicted the new ‘middle aged’ Love Island will see singletons “focused on finding a genuine relationship” - and conflicts are likely to arise over “parenting styles” and “gender roles”.
Licensed clinical psychologist Dr Kathy Nickerson, 48, has weighed in on how ITV’s newly-announced ‘Romance Retreat’ might differ from Love Island.
ITV bosses recently confirmed the new show - which is thought to be like Love Island but for older single parents - is definitely on the cards, and applications are open.
Dr Kathy, from Orange County, California, US, reckons having older contestants who are also parents will shake up the show compared to what we usully see - because the contestants’ priorities will be different.
For example, she suspects appearance may be “less important” - and conflicts may arise over parenting styles, which does not tend to be a factor in typical Love Island contestants.
She reckons peoples careers and how they view gender roles in the home may also influence the contestants’ decisions - but expects “less game-playing”.
Dr Kathy, who is a relationship expert and has 22 years of experience in the field, said: “The concept for the show sounds great, rich and multi-faceted.
“I’d love to see mature couples find love and show younger couples more nuanced ways to look at relationships.
“I’ll be curious to see what interesting conflicts arise - how do older couples handle gender roles? Income differences? Conflicts with kids? Unhealed emotional wounds?
“I’d hope we’d see more advanced conflict resolution skills, better communication, less game-playing, more honesty about what they really want from a partner.
I can’t wait to tune in!
“If someone is entering a contest, they do want to win - so that will always be a factor.
“I’m hoping that older contestants will be more focused on finding a genuine relationship as opposed to just winning.
“I can’t wait to tune in.”
Dr Kathy noted that one of the most significant differences in this show will be that contestants have “already experienced a lot in life”.
They may have raised children, experienced divorces and complicated relationships - so will be looking for “a true partner, not some romantic ideal.”
She said: “When you’re in your twenties, you’re looking for someone with great potential to create a life and family with.
“When you’re in your forties or fifties, you have your life and your family - you’re looking for someone who can integrate into and enhance your existing life.
“They want someone that will complement that life, not compete with it - or their children.”
She explained that older daters will likely feel less pressure to get married and have children, and instead will “put a premium on emotional connection, common values, and financial stability.”
She added that appearance, while still important, may be less of a priority - because “as we age, we realise that all that glitters is not gold.”
Dr Kathy reckons there may be less conflict - as mature people may be “softer and more compassionate, less competitive” due to their life experiences.
However, she noted that conflicts that do arise may focus on different issues than we typically see in younger contestants.
She said: “I can imagine that contestants might have differences in parenting styles and might not agree with how one person parents their kids.
“Also, it will be interesting to see if there are some successful women on the show who have more financial resources than some of the male contestants and how this affects their choices.
“People who are 50 and older were raised in a time with more rigid gender roles - what a man is expected to do, what a woman is expected to do - so I’m curious if we’ll see some of these expectations on display.
“Any or all of these could be a source of conflict.”
