Prior to being one of the stars of the UK’s first gay dating show I Kissed a Boy, Ollie King had an ingenious plan to crash another popular reality show to spread a much-needed message about LGBTQ+ inclusivity.
King, a 27-year-old tarmacer from Brighton, recently made his mark on the BBC's newest series hosted by Dannii Minogue. But it turns out that he almost ended up on Love Island, the popular dating show for straight (and sometimes bisexual) individuals.
"I did actually apply for Love Island a few years back," King revealed in an interview with Metro. He made it through several stages of the application process, but there was a catch.
"I did actually say that I was bisexual. It was a white lie," he admitted.
King’s motive for this charade? Well, he had a plan to shake things up. He wanted to go on the show and potentially steal the prize money, causing a scandal. His ultimate goal was to highlight the lack of representation for the LGBTQ+ community and challenge the existing dating show system.
"Where's our representation? Where's our dating shows?" he said.
Unfortunately, King’s plan didn't come to fruition as he didn't make it onto Love Island. He suspects that his true identity was sniffed out during the social media checks.
Then last year, King received an invitation to be a contestant on the very first season of I Kissed a Boy and was elated to finally have the opportunity to be a part of an actual gay dating show.
"I've been waiting for this, just chomping at the bit to do it," he shared.
King praised I Kissed a Boy for its much-needed representation and diverse cast. He received numerous positive messages from people in the LGBTQ+ community who felt a strong connection with the show.
"We made more than just a reality show," he said.
I Kissed a Boy is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.