The nation has always been obsessed with ITV2’s Love Island – and for good reason. Just a few months ago, it was revealed that there are plenty of psychological benefits to watching the dating show (not only does it highlight our intelligence, but it also offers teachings on feminism, anxiety, and mental health).

However, even the show’s most die-hard fans were left feeling distinctly disgruntled when Jess Shears and Dom Lever – who met on the show last summer – decided to celebrate their first Valentine’s Day together by getting married. 

Live on television.

That’s right: the couple appeared on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday (14 Feb), dressed in wedding-inspired swimwear, and seemingly tied the knot.

And they even opted for personalised wedding vows, which were – naturally – inspired by the very show they first met on.

“I, Jessica Shears, take you, Dominic Lever, to be my husband,” said Jess.

She continued: “I will not pie you off, even if Muggy Mike comes along. In the presence of TV’s Richard Arnold, I make this vow.”

Naturally, viewers had a lot to say about the televised wedding, which went mainly along the lines of “this is the tackiest thing I’ve ever seen” and “making a mockery of marriage” and “ITV hit a new low and it’s like the low in the lowest low of lows with and extra low”).

Annoyed by the reaction, Jess has since taken to Twitter to reveal the truth: her and Dom’s wedding had been a joke. Obviously.

“Learn to laugh and have a joke, people,” she wrote, adding: “So many people are getting their knickers in a twist this morning about mine and Dom Lever’s Valentine’s Day wedding on Good Morning Britain.

“We had such a laugh and can’t wait for the REAL wedding in October.”

Stressing her point, Jess used the hashtag: “Learn to take a joke, kids.”

Somewhat unsurprisingly, Jess’ words did not have the soothing effect on the masses that she may have been hoping for.

“Jokes have got to be funny,” wrote one. “This wasn’t funny.”

Another added: “Kids? Says the one doing the fake wedding.”

And still one more said: “But explain to me… how is getting married a joke?”

There were some, though, who were quick to support Jess.

“I thought it was funny,” wrote one. “People need to laugh more.”

“Everyone else is just jealous that they weren’t asked to do it,” stressed another.

Of course, it’s worth remembering that, according to a study published in the journal Poetics, it’s the smartest people who love the “dumbest” movies and TV shows.

“At first glance, it seems paradoxical that someone should deliberately watch badly made, embarrassing, and sometimes even disturbing films and take pleasure in them,” explains lead author Keyvan Sarkhosh, a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics.

“[However], the majority of trash film fans appear to be well-educated cultural ‘omnivores’, and they conceive of their preference for trash films in terms of an ironic viewing stance.”

Hmm. Something to mull over as we decide whether or not to rewatch that fake wedding, we guess…

Images: ITV/Rex Features