'Grade A virgin' speaks out after participating in sex position workshop on TV
We’re on two episodes in of this new season of Virgin Island, but we’ve had quite an eyeful already.
The Channel 4 show never quite fails to disappoint with simultaneously making us cringe but also sympathise with the participants – they really face their issues head-on.
Having told us themselves just how important the experience is, we’ve so far seen one open up about the health condition that stops her from having sex while others met their surrogate partners.
And last night (28 April), we saw self-confessed ‘grade A virgin’ Bertie having a one-to-one workshop where he learnt how to position himself for sex.
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It’s not quite the type of therapy you’d expect to see on TV but the 24-year-old told us Virgin Island was the ‘greatest experience he’s ever had’.
But he did pre-empt last night’s scene as he issued a bit of an apology before the episode.
“I was going to apologise in advance for the 1 to 1 that’s going to be shown of me but it’ll probably be absolute comedy gold for the rest of you…” Bertie, who is autistic, wrote on X.
And the lad even shared an update during the show airing to say he could hear his ‘parents howling with laughter downstairs’.
After working up the courage to participate in a group workshop, Bertie had a session with Celeste Hirschman, co-founder of the Somatica Method and an expert in all things sex.
She gave Bertie a masterclass in how to position himself in order to actually do the deed.
Rolling around under her guidance and learning how to correctly be in missionary, he even got on top from behind and could be seen gently humping Celeste.
Hugely increasing his confidence from the session, he gave his thanks to the expert, telling her she is ‘an absolute miracle worker’.
He also joked about the moment on social media last night, quoting himself: “All that thrusting has made me hurt my bollocks.”
“I’d do it again”
It takes immense bravery to put yourself out there like Bertie and the participants, applying to face your issues around intimacy on national television.
But he tells LADbible he’d do it all over again if he could.
“It was generally one of the best experiences of my life,” he explains. “If I could do it again I would.
“I've tried all these new things with the therapists and it's just something that I would have never even thought of doing in the real world, so it was a fantastic experience. I've learned so many new things, I've tried so many new things and I've made new friends. I will never forget my time on Virgin Island for as long as I live.”
Bertie also adds that the show is ‘genuine therapy’ that just ‘happens to involve TV cameras’.
“We don’t do this for fame,” he says. “we do this to help our own problems that we have in terms of intimacy and in terms of relationships.
“We go on this show because some of us feel like there’s no other way for us to get help other than to do something like this.
“These people aren’t doing this just to get on TV they are people that want help, and they’re brave people that want to get genuine help and if that means going on national TV to get the help that they want then so be it.”
Virgin Island airs next Monday 4 May on Channel 4 at 9pm and is available to stream.
Topics: Virgin Island, Channel 4, TV and Film
Jess Battison