Love Island: International viewers say they ‘need subtitles’ to understand UK regional accents

Many viewers were surprised to learn Brad from Northumberland was a ‘labourer’ rather than a ‘Libra’

International Love Island viewers have commented that they need subtitles to understand the regional accents on the show.

ITV’s dating show returned on Monday (28 June), with a new group of contestants from across the country taking part.

However, while viewers in the UK got stuck into the series, many of the show’s international fans shared their confusion and inability to understand islanders such as Brad, who is from Northumberland, and Jake, who comes from Somerset.

“Watching Love Island without subtitles is my version of getting a PHD in linguistics,” one US viewer joked.

“Yo I tried watching Love Island (the UK one) last night and mannnn imma need subtitles for this because the way I’m straining to understand the accents,” a viewer in Canada commented.

One commenter wrote: “Watching Love Island UK is like watching something in a foreign language I s2g, I have to stop looking at my phone, I have to use the subtitles!”

“I started watching the UK Love Island… i need subtitles,” an Australian fan wrote, while a viewer watching from Canada commented: “I need subtitles for Brad and Jake please.”

Many fans joked that they had struggled to understand Brad when he described himself as a “labourer”, assuming instead that he had said he was a “Libra”.

“A labourer PLS I thought he said he was a Libra,” one comment read, while another joked: “I’m just a Libra on a building site.”

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2.