A man who lost his virginity on a TV show has opened up about the impact it has had on his life.
Dave, the only participant to lose his virginity during Channel 4’s Virgin Island, has since found love and opened up about how life has changed since the show ended.
The groundbreaking reality series followed 12 adults aged 22 to 30 (all of whom had never had sex) as they explored intimacy, relationships, and self-confidence on a remote island.
While many participants used the experience for personal growth, it was 24-year-old accountant Dave who made headlines for having sex for the first time during the final episode.
Dave’s first sexual experience was with sex surrogate Kat, who said she felt “good about being the person with him at that important moment.” Viewers praised Dave for his maturity, openness, and the respectful way he handled the experience.
Since filming wrapped, Dave has found a girlfriend, someone he met on the dating app Hinge six months after the show ended. The couple is still going strong, though the subject of Virgin Island has required a bit of navigating.
“She watched the first four episodes,” Dave told The Sun, “but it’s getting a bit much now. You don’t want to see your partner with someone else, even if it was a year ago.”
Understandably, Dave’s girlfriend chose not to attend the group’s viewing party for the final episodes. Still, she was supportive and recognized how much Dave had grown since his time on the island.
“She openly said it’s like watching a completely different person,” Dave shared. He told her early on that he’d appeared on a “confidence-boosting TV show,” but held back the full story until they got to know each other better.
The cast remains in close contact via a group chat. Another participant, Holly, has also lost her virginity since the show ended and briefly had a boyfriend five months after filming. Though that relationship ended, she says the experience transformed her.
“I became a new, improved version of myself,” Holly said, adding that she messaged the group chat “almost as soon as it happened” because she was so excited to share the news.
Other cast members have had romantic sparks as well; Emma and Viraj went on a date but didn’t pursue a relationship, and Louise agreed to go out with Jason, who she says “could laugh your pants off.” However, she’s since moved to New Zealand, making the date a bit tricky to arrange.
As Virgin Island ends, its participants say the experience left a lasting impact, both in their relationships and in how they see themselves.