Love Island race row erupts as fans blast ‘shameless’ matchmaking twist | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Love Island returned to ITV and saw 10 new singletons looking for love and a summer of fun, but they were given two bombshells on their arrival.

Unbeknownst to the islanders, the public had been voting for who they wanted to couple up but when the results were in, many viewers were left furious.

Taking to their Twitter accounts, @NagmaIdris fumed: “Lol the British public does not like race mixing, they colour-matched the couples.”

@wildsidetannies commented: “The public are so predictable, they’ll always couple people based on race.”

@camillae_x expressed: “Just caught up and the UK remains shameless wow. The consistency is unmatched, pairing these people based on race? Shameless. #LoveIsland.”

READ MORE: Holly Willoughby is a ‘two-faced horror’ and should go, fumes Kim Woodburn

@sandraxdee said: “Damn is this #LoveIsland: Date within your race? Lol public matched everyone up according to colour.”

@elleheartbee added: “The public said NO RACE MIXING #LoveIsland.”

@megaannlouiseee asked: “Why’s love island matched the couples by race then?” (sic)

The public put together Jess Harding and George Fensom, Molly Marsh and Mitchel Taylor, Catherine Agbaje and Andre Furtado, Ruchee Gurung and Mehdi Edno, and Ella Thomas and Tyrique Hyde.

However, at the end of the episode, it was clear to Ruchee and Jess that they were unhappy with their pairings and their eyes began to wander when bombshell Zachariah Noble walked in.

During the evening, host Maya Jama stormed into the villa and asked the girls if they wanted to play a game of dares.

As the islanders stood around the fire pit, she dared the girls to step forward if they were unhappy in their couple.

Jess and Ruchee stepped forward from their boys, who were understanding of their decision as they too felt there was no instant chemistry.

Zachariah soon made his way into the villa and although he knew that Jess and Ruchee were both unhappy in their couple, he was told that he was able to pick any of the girls in front of him.

Maya revealed he would have just 24 hours to get to know the girls as well as he could before he had to steal a girl and leave one boy vulnerable.

Will Zachariah play it safe and choose a single girl or make waves on his first night?

Love Island airs weeknights from 9pm on ITV2.