ON LAST NIGHT’S episode of Love Island, viewers saw new girl Alexandra entangled in a love quadrangle of sorts with three boys – Alex, Idris and Kieran – all courting her and vying for her affections.
Midway through the episode, it was revealed that a recoupling would take place and that two islanders would be eliminated. With all the other islanders in steady, solid partnerships, it was clear that Alexandra would have the final say. Tonight, she will choose between her three suitors and send two on their merry way. And I, for one, am hoping against hope that she chooses Dr. Alex.
When we first encountered Dr. Alex, I dismissed him as a posh boy who was way out of his depth. But as the series has worn on, I have come to regard him as one of the show’s greatest assets: a kindly toff with a heart of gold, the complexion of Percy Pig and the bumbling demeanor of Hugh Grant. What’s not to love?
I first realised I had a soft spot for Alex early on when he decided to wear a mad pink t-shirt covered in surfers and palm trees. It drew widespread ridicule and resembled something a wacky Dad would wear on holidays to Disneyland, which is precisely why I loved it so much. You couldn’t possibly bear any ill will towards someone who looked at that t-shirt and thought, “That’s cool.”
Since then, my love for Alex has gone from strength to strength. Whether he’s joyfully exclaiming, “Oh hell!” at the prospect of someone new joining the show or inexplicably wearing a coat in the villa, I find myself cheering him on as though he were my own kind, but useless son.
On the show, Alex has played the role of the perennial singleton. He has been comically unlucky in love with all of his romantic partnerships fizzling out before ever really taking off. Some of this is down to bad fortune, but he’s not without blame.
As a handsome doctor, he’s certainly a catch on the surface. Unfortunately, the boy can’t flirt for the life of him. In fact, his idea of flirting is talking about being a “petrolhead” and asking a woman abut the fanciest car she has ever had the privilege of being inside.
He has also made some disastrous errors, the most notable being when he chose to couple up with Grace in Casa Amor despite the pair having about as much chemistry as two Eurovision hosts exchanging painful banter. (A rare cocky comment about relegating another potential paramour to “the subs’ bench” was also regrettable.)
But for the most part, Alex has demonstrated himself to be funny, considerate, and open-minded. Consider how loyal he was to Samira and how genuine he was in his desire for her to find someone. Or how non-judgmental he was when Megan told him about her past as a stripper. Or how self-deprecating he has been about being rejected by virtually every female he has come into contact with on the show.
He’s unconcerned with status and allergic to drama, which makes him somewhat of an aberration in the villa. But that’s what makes him such a breath of fresh air and why he’s so clearly beloved by his fellow cast members.
You need someone who is susceptible to a bit of word vomit every now and again. You need someone who knows he can’t dance sexily, but gives it a go anyway. You need someone who not only embraces the moniker Doctor Love, but wears it with pride. He’s a dork, yes, but what a lovable dork he is.
I hope Alexandra chooses Alex tonight. The thought of not seeing his big pink head bopping around the villa fills me with too much sorrow. But if she doesn’t, you can be sure as hell that I will be first in line at whatever nightclub appearance he makes in Ireland. Maybe I’ll even bring some aloe vera for him.
