Viewers have branded the return of Channel 4’s The Island as a “new low” and slammed Chief Scout Bear Grylls for reinforcing class stereotypes.
The show’s fifth series, which began last night, saw 16 new islanders divided into “rich” and “poor” camps based on their real-life salaries.
But the audience was left in a lather after the “posh snobs” group, who earn an average of £100,000 a year, made the poorer half feel unwelcome.
And feelings ran high on Twitter as wealthy art dealer Barnes said of meeting the less well-off campmates: “When I saw them coming down the beach it was like the northern dole bus had broken down.”
They were also angry at doctor Shereen for replying: “These are not my sort of people.”
Viewers criticised host Bear Grylls, Chief Scout since 2009, for this year’s “rich vs poor” theme and accused him of not being a good role model.
@TheIsland @BearGrylls New low. Seems Bear who represents young people in the scouts is happy reinforcing the stereotype that poor people are fat and posh people are pretty and slim. What hope have the kids got with Bear as a role model?
— Dr Clifford White (@DrCliffordWhite) April 2, 2018
.@TheIsland is far too contrived showing rich people as snobs and the poorer people as overweight and lazy its become like a soap opera. @BearGrylls as a survival expert has sold himself out
— Jules (@Kizzyloves) April 3, 2018
@BearGrylls #theisland is very divisive… animosity and resentment from both sides of the class system on display… is this really the best way to improve equality between the classes?
— Reece McMahon (@reecemcmahon) April 3, 2018
Meant to be a survival show, why they had to make it about money i don’t know. #TheIsland
— Andrew_B (@AndrewBendall) April 3, 2018
Actually really disappointed that @BearGrylls has decided to create such a devisive series of #TheIsland by pitching rich against poor. Some people will do anything to make more money it seems!
— Rob Richards (@robrichardsuk) April 2, 2018
Disappointing casting by @Channel4 for #theisland promoting unhelpful poor/rich and north/south divide stereotypes, usually love this program, total lack of moderate peace makers people in either camp, that you would always find represented in real life @BearGrylls
— Hannah Mccowen (@hannahmccowen) April 2, 2018
why has #TheIsland chosen to play into the hackneyed trope of haves & have nots It’s divisive & contributes nothing to our already fractured & desperately fragile country post-EURef Not sure I want to see how this turns out – has air of predictability to it – red top programming!
— Brexsh*t is an act of treason #FBPE (@CAdamMartin) April 2, 2018
@TheIsland what a vile divisive agenda. This will make vile viewing. The privileged rich over the proles. None of the wealthy are overweight either. It’s disgusting C4. So stereotyped. I went to a comp, inner city 6th form and old school uni. I know how to purify water. 😡
— Trouble and his dads (@AllanPringle1) April 2, 2018
Nice cup of tea ready to watch #TheIsland to forget about the ‘real’ world and watch people put aside their differences and social status to work together as a team….
‘Northern Dole Bus’
‘Not my kind of people’
‘Send them the off-cuts’
Ah, right. Nevermind then…
— David Ellis (@davidgeoffrey) April 2, 2018
The two halves of camp, who were dropped off on either side of the Pacific paradise, bumped into each other on day two but did not hit it off, despite the optimistic efforts of the poorer islanders.
Art dealer Barnes came under fire from viewers for suggesting that they send “food hamper” off-cuts to the “working class” contestants, who he accused of being lazy and useless.
The simmering feud bubbled over when the “poor” campmates took the only shelter for the night, forcing their richer counterparts to sleep in the open in the rain.
Barnes said the next morning: “I’ve never been quite so close to killing people as I was in the night. It was very, very tempting.”
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Viewers were overwhelmingly on the side of the poorer campmates.
What a bunch of stuck up snobs… going to be hard to watch this year if they don’t keep their snobbery to themselves 😡 #TheIsland
— Sophie Fish (@sophinio) April 2, 2018
My heart sinking at the comments from the ‘rich’ group. Should be ashamed. #TheIsland
— Maz (@mazzie1441) April 2, 2018
So cross watching the #TheIsland and hearing “These are not my sort of people” and “Oh God…it was like the northern dole bus has broken down”.
— lucy thornton (@lucethornton) April 2, 2018
“I thought the northern dole bus had broken down”….Really?! Looks like class divides are alive and well, and shows money can’t buy decency and manners! #TheIsland
— Gemma Fisher (@thatgemmafisher) April 2, 2018
How disgusting is that Barnes? Just because he’s a “posh” art dealer doesn’t make him any better of a person than anyone else on that beach! #TheIsland
— Lauren 🌹 (@Lauren04x) April 3, 2018
I wouldn’t last a day on the Island with them snobs…@TheIsland Talk about chalk and Cheese 😂
— Lee Caddy (@Leecaddy7) April 3, 2018
@TheIsland just shows you what the rich really think of poor working class people , being rude about weight and class what disgusting people they are !
— France’s McKay (@mckay_frankie38) April 3, 2018
Why do people think they are better humans than others just because they earn more? So far the majority of the “rich” camp have shown themselves to be ignorant, rude and vicious, not impressive. #TheIsland
— Frances (@TheFrances12) April 3, 2018
“In order to earn money you have to work hard” So our nurses don’t work hard? Our military don’t work hard? Our police, fire & ambulance service don’t work hard? Honestly, these people! 😤#TheIsland
— Tara Orton (@TaraOrton) April 3, 2018
The two groups decided to go their separate ways, but the richer half caused more ructions when they left the the camp’s water, rope and other vital supplies.
* The Island With Bear Grylls is on Channel 4 on Mondays at 9pm.