Virgin Island expert hits out explaining why she didn’t return for season 2
After an eye-opening few weeks, tonight (18 May) marks the finale of Virgin Island season two.
And while it’s had more even more sex than last year and featured new practices, it’s been missing something from last year – Joy Rigel.
She was the Emotional Intimacy Coach on season one of the Channel 4 show, helping to guide the participants through the unique deep and personal experiences.
But despite saying that Virgin Island does ‘really important work’, Joy opted not to return.
Advert
With 20 years of experience in ‘embodiment, intimacy and energetic attunement’, she was disappointed by the edit of her work in the first season.
Other experts did however return, such as surrogates Kat and Andre, sexological bodyworker Aisha, clinical therapist Dr Abby Sheneman and of course, leads Dr Danielle Harel and Celeste Hirschmann.
Joy believes the emotional intimacy side of her work wasn’t fully represented in the episodes last year.
“I did not join for this season because I didn't want to do surrogacy on the show,” she told vt. “I have frameworks that I've developed that I think are really important that weren't shown.”
Joy said she wished viewers had seen more of the emotional groundwork behind the connections formed as she said a ‘highlight on emotional intimacy’ may be missing.
“Some people don't connect automatically to erotic energy,” the coach added.
“I feel like throwing people into erotic energy is a lot, and it might be nice to highlight some basic, plain, friendly, fun, not sexualised human connection, because I think that's what we're all missing.”
She does however still enjoy watching Virgin Island and said: “I think it's really important work. I'm happy to see it happening.”
It’s just that she was disappointed in how season one represented her work that stopped her from coming back.
“I just feel like they took the least important things that I said, and used that to create my story,” Joy added.
Virgin Island sees the participants work with a range of experts as they face their issues and anxieties head-on.
This season has included work with BDSM coach, Shelby Devlin, who has 15 years’ experience.
“From my very first workshop, I felt an immediate connection to both the individual participants and to the group dynamic as a whole,” she said. “It felt like falling in love at first sight.”
Meanwhile, surrogate Kat said it felt ‘great to come back’ as Andre said it felt ‘like a natural yes’.
“Virgin Island felt like meaningful work that was actually helping people overcome their intimate challenges. I knew we could go further and deeper in season 2,” he explained.
LADbible has contacted Channel 4 for comment.
Virgin Island concludes tonight with two episodes, starting at 9pm and is available to stream on Channel 4.
Topics: Virgin Island, Channel 4, TV and Film
Jess Battison