Channel 4’s Virgin Island begins airing tonight with twelve sexually inexperienced adults being coached through a programme to help battle their fears around intimacy
Virgin Island begins on Channel 4 tonight(Image: Channel 4)
Channel 4 has never been afraid to push the boundaries of television – but its latest docuseries Virgin Island may go further than the broadcaster has ever gone before. The controversial new show follows twelve adult virgins as they take on a bespoke intimacy course that’s designed to help them overcome their fears around sex.
Led by professional sexologists Celeste Hirschman and Dr. Danielle Harel, the virgins are led through various exercises that aim to raise their self-esteem throughout experiential sex therapy. However, its most controversial treatment involves the use of a surrogate partner – a professional who can be physically intimate with their client if they are ready to do so.
Virgin Island sees twelve sexually inexperienced adults head to a retreat in Croatia where they learn to overcome their intimacy fears(Image: Channel 4)
“A surrogate partner therapist works in conjunction with a traditional licensed therapist and then a client. The therapist is there so if anything emotional comes up for the client that they have someone to process it with, and the surrogate partner can go step-by-step through erotic experiences,” Celeste explains in a chat with The Mirror.
“Everything from basic touching to getting comfortable with nudity and then all the way through to manual sex, oral sex and even intercourse, depending on what’s needed for the particular client.”
The series features virgins with varying fears around intimacy: from bisexual receptionist Taylor, 29, who bursts into tears while maintaining prolonged eye contact with another contestant, to delivery driver Zac, 28, who is keen to have sex with his assigned surrogate partner in the first session.
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The show has already faced criticism over its controversial methods and “awkward” sexual scenes, but Celeste and Danielle stress that duty of care for the contestants was paramount on the production.
“There was a tremendous duty of care done from the beginning,” Celeste says. “All of the interviews that they did, making sure that they had mental health interviews and questionnaires.
Celeste Hirschman and Dr. Danielle Harel take the virgins through a series of intimacy exercises(Image: Channel 4)
“There was a whole team in place throughout the entire time that they were on the island just making sure that everything was OK, seeing what they needed emotionally and for their comfort and then ongoing after the show.”
She added that the cast are receiving continued support after the series. “They’re keeping in touch with them, checking in every week and now as the show’s getting closer every day, so there’s a tremendous amount of support for for the contributors.”
Meanwhile, Danielle says that consent was at the forefront of the programme. “During the show, all the coaches, all the practitioners were really mindful about consent. We taught them first to say no. We kept checking, tracking their like nervous system and if they’re like recoiling like., ‘What’s happening?’
“So we’re constantly aware of making sure that they are comfortable even though it’s not like it was easy, but they’re comfortable with the next growing moment.”
While the virgins have the option to have sex with a surrogate partner on the show, there’s also the chance that they could form a romantic connection with a fellow cast member. Celeste and Danielle reveal that there were extra measures put in place if that were to happen.
“The duty of care extended in that arena as well, just to make sure that if they did decide to interact in any way, that consent was checked with them in the same way that it would be with one of the therapists,” Celeste said.
The sex therapy programme was curated by Danielle and Celeste especially for Virgin Island – however, it includes many exercises which they’ve been practicing at the Somatica Institute for over 15 years.
“Almost all of it was things that we were already doing. We just tailored it a little bit more to folks who hadn’t had a lot of experience,” Celeste said.
As for who they help with their sex programmes outside of the show, Celeste says: “Really everyone who wanted help in the realm of sex and emotional intimacy – it could be a couple in a sexless marriage, it could be somebody wanting to date, it could be a virgin, could be somebody who has shame around sex or trauma so really the whole gamut.”
While the methods are unorthodox, Celeste and Danielle tease that the show proves to be “transformative” for the contestants involved. “I just couldn’t be more delighted,” Celeste says.
“Each one of them in their own right stepped into a deeper sense of who they were and what they wanted for themselves and were able to feel way more empowered and agentive and way less shame. You’ll see everyone had their journey.”
Virgin Island begins tonight at 9pm on Channel 4.
