GIVEN that Love Island has been misting up our screens for almost a decade now, it’s little wonder that the fans have become eagle-eyed to fixes and shortcuts.

Now speculation is mounting on social media that many of the usual games and challenges appear to be missing in action this year.

Viewers have criticized the lack of games and challenges on this years showCredit: Rex

Some suggest that the big signing of Joey Essex has drained the budget this yearCredit: Rex
As a result, many are wondering whether ITV bosses have tightened the purse strings this year.

Writing on social media site Reddit, one wrote: “I am so upset about the challenges. I am tired of watching them kiss each other at the fire pit in those dare games. We need the drama the real games create. This season is dragging.”

Meanwhile another suggested that signing TOWIE star Joey Essex must have made a dent in the budget.

They said: “Maybe there’s no budget for them. I’ve never seen such a low-cost date on the show like Mimii and Ayo had yesterday. My guess is that they must have paid a sh** ton of money for Joey Essex to go on the show and now there’s no budget for proper challenges, sets, costumes, and more.”

And another said: “Bring the challenges back, we need them, all the fun is gone.”

This week the ITV show has been rocked by claims of a fix, after a former Islander claimed that the failed romance between Joey Essex and Samantha Kenny was engineered, to make way for the explosive arrival of Joey’s ex Grace Jackson.

Axed islander and close friend to Samantha  Munveer Jabbal, revealed in a interview that Sam’s feelings for Joey were real, but she felt thwarted by the producers.

Speaking on Funbar radio he said “[Samantha]  literally just called me about an hour ago and she’s obviously livid, for obvious reasons.

“Watching it the other day was a tough watch because, being so close to Samantha in the villa, you could clearly see she has strong feelings for Joey but it wasn’t reciprocated. No physical touch, no intimacy.

“Then Grace walks in and smacks one right on the lips right in front of her. She obviously feels embarrassed.”

He went on to suggest that producers might have had a hand in setting Samantha up with the TOWIE star, adding: “She just feels like she wasn’t able to do what she wanted to and some of it was a little bit engineered.

“She feels like she was a little bit restricted in what she could have done in certain situations.

“I’m not saying it’s scripted but sometimes it’s difficult to go have a conversation with someone, there’s timing and all these different things. She just feels like it didn’t go her way.”

He also hinted he agrees with fan theories that Grace and Joey faked their break up to stage a reunion on the ITV show.

Munveer said: “I think you hit the nail on the head there, no smoke without fire.

“The way they’ve come in it seems like they’ve known each other for a while. There’s a past there, how strong is that past? Who knows.

“She’s come in, and they’ve coupled up straight away.

“I feel really sorry for Samantha because she is a class girl. She put it herself and said she was a placeholder.

“It was sad to see because she actually had genuine feelings towards Joey.”

Even Joey’s sister has shared a supportive message with Samantha in the wake of her brutal dumping.

Frankie made it clear that she was rooting for Sam to end up with her brother while the blonde beauty was on the show.

But Sam was axed from the villa yesterday after a recoupling ceremony where she was left single having been abandoned by Joey.

The show has been rocked by claims that producers set up Joey and GraceCredit: Eroteme

Meanwhile Samantha Kenny was left devastated after being dumped by Joey in favour of his ex Grace