‘Virgin Island’ Season 2 Guide: Meet the Cast of the UK’s Wildest Reality TV Show
Last year, Virgin Island became a record-breaking hit in the UK, so it’s no surprise it’s returning for a second season with a brand-new group of virgins hoping to change that fact. This time, it’s also expected to make waves in the U.S., meaning viewers across the pond could soon be equally invested in emotionally vulnerable adults discussing their sex lives, engaging in “surrogate partner therapy,” and navigating the added novelty of British accents.
Yep, Virgin Island follows 12 adult virgins who attend a luxury beachside retreat designed around intensive therapy, education on the male and female anatomy, and structured support to help them unpack why they feel stuck when it comes to intimacy and relationships.
So, who are the new virgins of Season 2? Here’s a roundup of the cast and experts of Virgin Island Season 2 and what you can expect from them.
Virgin Island, Season 2, Streaming on Channel 4 and Apple TV, April 27
Alex
Age: 28
Job: Data analyst
Alex has had a girlfriend before, but his struggles with anxiety have kept him from getting close enough to someone to “seal the deal.” His anxiety impacts multiple areas of his life, and he explains that it makes him too nervous to have sex, describing it as “panic, a racing heart, and a desperate need to escape the situation.” He also shared that sex was a taboo subject at home, meaning he still struggles to discuss it openly.
He explained his decision to join the show, saying that “anxiety had become tangled up with sex and pleasure for me, to the point that intimacy felt like fear, pressure, and performance rather than enjoyment. I wanted expert help to break that cycle, get out of my head, and learn to approach sex as something safe, connected, and fun.”
Age: 22
Job: Theater usher
As a fun and popular young woman, Millie expected to lose her virginity at university. But three years later, she’s back living at home and still a virgin. She fears losing herself and being alone forever.
She applied for Virgin Island in order to stop living in fear of something that should bring joy. She wants to stop feeling “broken” and running from any signs of touch. “I want the old Millie back, the one who didn’t hold back or care what anyone thought,” she said.
Bertie
Age: 24
Job: Event volunteer
At the surface, Bertie appears to be a confident man. But according to him, beneath that exterior lurks cripplingly low self-esteem and anxiety about his body. He’s a self-proclaimed “Grade A Virgin” who has never kissed anyone and fears sex would be overwhelming.
He joined Virgin Island Season 2 to avoid being “single forever” and hopes to build self-confidence while learning practical skills around dating and intimacy. Bertie fears he could reach middle age without ever experiencing intimacy, so let’s hope the island experience can help shift that trajectory.
Age: 26
Job: Theater hospitality
Marianne feels she has no problems attracting the opposite sex, describing herself as a smart and sociable young woman. But when it comes to intimacy and progressing past a make-out session, she explains that her body freezes as she feels “such fear and distrust.” She’s never had a relationship where she felt safe enough to move forward and has a tendency to shut things down when she becomes overwhelmed.
On Virgin Island, she wants to show up for herself in a new way and face her challenges head-on in a safe and supportive environment. She also hopes to better understand how her ADHD may be impacting her responses in these moments, and to work towards staying present rather than dissociating during difficult situations.
Callum
Age: 21
Job: Unemployed
Callum is the youngest of the group and has isolated himself since the death of his father just over two years ago. He spends most of his time sleeping or gaming and now feels stuck as he struggles to connect with others. Callum has never been kissed and is the only virgin in his friendship group. He says people are often surprised to learn this, as he is quite good-looking, and they assume dating comes easily to him.
Joining Virgin Island was about more than shedding the “virgin” label. It’s about shifting his mindset, rebuilding motivation, and learning how to live more fully again. He’s also looking forward to the enforced digital detox the experience will bring, hoping it will help him step away from gaming and isolation and re-engage with real-world connections.
Katie
Age: 22
Job: Nanny
Katie carries a lot of scars from her time at school, where she was bullied and voted the “ugliest girl in school.” She kept copies of bullying and trolling messages and still finds herself rereading them to this day. A devoted romance novel reader, Katie just wants to fall in love. Honestly, we’re desperate to give this gorgeous girl a big hug.
She signed up for Virgin Island in order to overcome her hurdles with dating and sexual intimacy. Her hope is to work through her insecurities, rebuild her confidence, and take meaningful steps toward feeling comfortable with intimacy over the course of the experience.
Tegan
Age: 25
Job: Accountant
Tegan came out as gay seven years ago with the full support of her family, but can’t seem to progress past first dates. She’s fed up with staying in the “friend zone” and wants to learn how to exude sexual energy. She feels she is succeeding in every part of her life, with a career as an accountant and her own home, except in her romantic and sexual life.
She lacks self-confidence and has limited experience with sexual intimacy, and believes Virgin Island can help her understand what she needs to do to move beyond first dates and build comfort once she is there. She also wants to become more comfortable in her own skin, both emotionally and physically, and to approach intimacy without overthinking or self-doubt.
Ed
Age: 27
Job: Unemployed
Ed was born with limb difference in his arm and hand (Poland Syndrome), and has visible scars on his chest from grafts and operations to correct a missing pectoral muscle and reconstruct his fingers. He has never experienced sex or intimacy of any kind, and fears that women may find him “weird or gross.” His parents never discussed sex with him growing up, and he now describes a growing sense of isolation. He hopes the show will help change that.
“After seeing Series 1, the show immediately resonated,” he explained. “”t felt like a rare chance to get real help with the sex and intimacy issues I’d struggled with for a long time.”
Ellen
Age: 35
Job: Childcare practitioner
Ellen is 35 years old and has never gone further than kissing. She attributes this to a total lack of guidance from home or school, which has left her experiencing significant anxiety around sex, touch, and physical closeness. She worries about doing “it” wrong.
She joined Virgin Island after finding Season 1 particularly comforting, especially the participants from the LGBTQ+ community who openly discussed shame, fear, and vulnerability. Ellen hopes to learn how to flirt, initiate touch, be touched, and build romantic connections without fear. And honestly, doesn’t everyone deserve that?
Jason
Age: 26
Job: Postman
A self-confessed loner, Jason struggles to flirt or talk about anything sexual at all. He’s beginning to fear that he’ll be alone for the rest of his life, as he finds it difficult to talk to women, let alone kiss, hug, or have sex. He feels behind everyone else and often prefers staying home to paint Warhammer figures, despite his parents encouraging him to go out and meet people.
Jason didn’t actually apply himself. He was put forward by his friends. Bet they’re feeling pretty proud now! After watching a few episodes of Virgin Island, however, he decided to go along with it and see where the experience might lead him.
Joy
Age: 22
Job: Event coordinator
A practicing Christian, Joy describes herself as having grown up as a “nerdy, opinionated teenager.” She says she blossomed at 19 and now acknowledges having sexual feelings, but continues to struggle with the religious shame that has shaped her relationship with intimacy. Alongside this, she has been diagnosed with vaginismus, which has impacted any previous attempts at sexual intimacy.
She hopes that Virgin Island can help her begin to work through the constraints of religious shame and support her in managing her vaginismus, so she can approach intimacy with confidence.
Will
Age: 30
Job: Landscape gardener
As a confident, funny, and sociable guy, Will feels ready to take the next step. He’s frustrated that he’s only had limited intimacy experiences, mostly when he was much younger, and he struggles with premature ejaculation, which he worries could prevent him from having a fulfilling sex life with a partner.
He was sent the application for Virgin Island by a friend and thought, “Well, what’s the worst that can happen?” He hoped the therapists would be able to help him work through his concerns around premature ejaculation. However, he admits he was also daunted by the emotional side of the process and by deeper feelings of being unwanted that he wasn’t expecting to confront.
Dr. Danielle Harel & Celeste Hirschman
Dr. Danielle Harel returns for a second season of Virgin Island. She holds a PhD in human sexuality and a graduate degree in clinical social work, and is a cofounder of the Somatica Institute as well as cocreator of the Somatica Method. This experiential approach combines emotional connection with practical tools designed to build confidence, communication, and intimacy, helping participants move beyond theory and into lived experience in a structured, supportive environment.
Celeste Hirschman, M.A., is her fellow cofounder of the Somatica Institute and cocreator of the Somatica Method. She holds a master’s degree in human sexuality Studies and a bachelor’s degree in women’s studies.
Celeste is known for combining sharp insight with deep compassion, helping people move beyond shame, communicate more clearly, and build confident, connected sex lives through a practical, experiential approach to intimacy and self-awareness.
Kate Slade
Returning for Season 2, Kate Slade is a certified surrogate partner and somatic practitioner. Through surrogate partner therapy, she supports clients in building confidence, improving communication, and working through barriers to intimacy and sexual expression in a structured, supportive environment.
Andre Lazarus
Andre Lazarus is another surrogate partner therapist. He is a certified intimacy, sex, and relationship practitioner with 10 years experience supporting individuals and couples in overcoming sexual anxiety and building confidence and connection.
His goal is to ensure no one feels stuck or “broken,” and to help viewers see themselves reflected in the participants’ experiences, offering a more compassionate and representative view of intimacy and personal growth.
Aisha Paris Smith
As a certified somatic sexologist, bodyworker, and speaker, Aisha Paris Smith aims to support people of all genders and orientations in building confidence, connection, and pleasure through trauma-informed, body-based work.
She feels Virgin Island gives people the language for things they’ve never been able to say out loud, and she strives to continue that work in season 2, helping participants articulate experiences and emotions around intimacy with greater clarity and ease.
Dr. Abby Sheneman
Dr. Abby Sheneman is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in sex therapy, trauma therapy, and grief counseling. Her goal in participating is driven by an overarching desire to help people truly embrace and challenge contemporary thoughts and feelings about sex, mental health, and well-being, while also working to reduce the stigma surrounding surrogate partner therapy (SPT) through her involvement in Virgin Island.
Shelby Devlin
Shelby Devlin is a BDSM coach, kink expert, and sex educator with 15 years of experience in the field. She holds a master’s degree in sexuality studies, is certified in the Somatica Method, and is also a certified massage therapist.
Having watched the first season of Virgin Island, she knows exactly what she’s signed up for. While she can be wary of reality TV in general, she feels this series is an exception to the rule, creating a rare space where vulnerability is centered, supported, and genuinely honored.
Risdon Roberts
Risdon Roberts is a surrogate partner therapist and intimacy expert. She began her career in film and TV, having trained as an intimacy coordinator, before shifting her focus to human sexuality. Her clients are often new to intimacy, experiencing sexual dysfunction, or coming out later in life.
As a queer woman, she appreciates how Virgin Island provides space for the cast to explore their diverse identities, attractions, and sexualities, allowing for a more open and nuanced conversation around intimacy and self-discovery.
Ilil Lunkry
Ilil Lunkry is a sexological bodyworker and Somatica sex and relationship coach. Now we really hope they’ll clarify on the show what a sexological bodyworker is because we’re dying to know. She supports individuals and couples in building more fulfilling intimate lives through practical, body-based work, both online and in person.
She also came in with some preconceptions about reality TV — no Love Island fans here, we guess — but was ultimately impressed by Virgin Island’s clear dedication to participant well-being and its more thoughtful, supportive approach to exploring intimacy on screen.
Jason King
And finally, we have our last newcomer and final expert on Virgin Island Season 2. Jason King is a sexological bodyworker and somatic sex educator. Unsurprisingly, he’s based in Amsterdam and Berlin — honestly, two cities that feel particularly on-brand for this kind of work.
Jason supports people through 1:1 bodywork, group workshops, and retreats, helping them reduce shame, express authentic desires, set boundaries, and build pleasure rooted in safety and connection.
He admits he binged Season 1 of Virgin Island and was genuinely moved by the authenticity and vulnerability of the participants. He believes that exploring your sexuality is always an act of courage, as it touches one of the most intimate and revealing parts of our lives.
