‘I couldn’t sleep last night…’
This was the bombshell dropped by a fan in mourning today after a night of tossing and turning. No, it wasn’t the summer heatwave causing them a sleepless night but rather the news that brought the nation to a standstill yesterday.
Love Island darlings Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury announced their shock split after five years and people can’t quite come to terms with it.
Not since the separation of Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles has the nation collectively suffered a restless night, apparently. It’s not like we’ve been through a cost of living crisis, pandemic or various wars or anything.
After five years of following the influencer couple as they claimed success professionally and personally, such as getting engaged and welcoming their daughter Bambi, the picture-perfect relationship had abruptly come to an end for reasons currently unbeknownst to us outsiders.
What could possibly have caused one of the UK’s most beloved and prominent couples to suddenly announce their break-up on an otherwise calm Wednesday afternoon?
Despite a flurry of theories on social media, the truth remains to be seen but we can probably all agree that the reaction has been extreme with everyone from ITV News and even Domino’s addressing the break-up.
‘Molly Mae and Tommy being on ITV news please, it’s giving national emergency,’ @MakushaMichaela commented on X after spotting a segment on the showbiz split on the ITV Evening News.
Domino’s Pizza shared their own message against a black background with the caption: ‘Important statement.’
The post read: ‘Everyone at Domino’s joins the nation in mourning the break-up of Molly Mae and Tommy Fury’s relationship. Our thoughts and condolences are with them at this time.’
Unfortunately, they did not include a discount code to support the nation in mourning.
Sky News sent out ‘breaking news’ alerts to people’s phones and featured a news story on the split right beneath their live blog on Ukraine and two men who tragically died in a car accident.
Some called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to hold a press conference and the cries of Fiat 500 were heard in every corner of the land – there may or may not have been sightings of their congregation holding prayer circles in said car.
We kid but, as Whatsapp groups popped off with everyone reacting to the news in their droves, it did feel like the country broke down.
important statement pic.twitter.com/9SbiaSWUgu
— Domino’s Pizza UK (@Dominos_UK) August 14, 2024
Kier Starmers silence on Tommy Fury and Molly Mae’s break up is deafening. Where is his leadership when you need it
— D (@domcwlor) August 14, 2024
Molly Mae and Tommy splitting up is how I imagine it felt when Charles and Diana split up for our parents
— Elizabeth Mather (@bethmather1998) August 14, 2024
Molly Mae this & Tommy fury that but had anyone checked on Ellie Belly?? ð¤·ð½ââï¸ pic.twitter.com/ED4MNcUevc
— Septimus Primeð¸ð± (@septimusajprime) August 14, 2024
fiat 500 twitter trying to get to the bottom of why molly mae and tommy fury have split up pic.twitter.com/9clQs35zAd
— stanâ·ï¸ (@stxn_h) August 14, 2024
Why did we have such an extreme reaction to Tommy and Molly-Mae splitting up?
Psychologist Dr Laura Greige broke down the country’s fascination with this couple, who we were introduced to through Love Island in 2019.
‘This voyeuristic access enables a form of parasocial interaction, where viewers develop feelings of friendship and emotional bonds with these celebrities,’ the expert told Metro.co.uk. ‘As a result, the audience’s investment is not just superficial; it’s empathetically charged, involving a vicarious experience of the couple’s milestones and challenges.’
Dr Greige went on to explain that viewers often use celebrity relationships as a ‘canvas onto which individuals project their ideals and aspirations regarding romance and success.’
‘This projection is especially potent in the context of reality TV, where the line between reality and entertainment is continually blurred, making the relationships appear more accessible and relatable,’ she explained. ‘When such a relationship dissolves, it challenges these idealised notions, prompting a re-evaluation that can feel personal to the audience.’
Annabelle Knight, LoveHoney sex and relationship expert, agreed that the public feel as though they’re ‘a part of this relationship’ having ‘clung onto their trials and tribulations on TV.’
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Dr Greige argues that while the comparisons to Charles and Diana were largely made in jest by devastated fans, it ‘underlines the symbolic weight carried by both relationships in their respective cultural contexts.’
In other words, Molly and Tommy are bonafide showbiz royalty.
She added: ‘While Diana and Charles represented a literal royalty narrative coming undone, Tommy and Molly-Mae represent a more contemporary “royalty”, that of celebrity influence and social media prominence. Both relationships, in their ways, symbolised certain fairy-tale ideals that, when disrupted, force a public reckoning with the realities behind the idealised images.’
Relationship expert Annabelle also branded the Love Island icons ‘modern royalty’ and explained: ‘Social media paints a picture of perfection that followers will cling to – from the fairytale proposal to the birth of their daughter. But just like with the Charles and Diana split, there’s a family behind the break-up of Molly-Mae and Tommy, which people need to keep in mind while they publicly mourn the split.’
Celebrity news often serves as a form of escapism from the more harsh realities of the world and so, even when saddened by showbiz couples breaking up, followers lap up what is a more ‘digestible narrative.’
Dr Greige said: ‘The decision by outlets like ITV News to feature such stories prominently reflects audience-driven content strategies…
‘The emotional and media resonance of Molly-Mae and Tommy’s split encapsulates a complex interplay of empathetic engagement, societal reflection, and media dynamics.
‘Understanding why such events garner immense attention provides not only insight into societal values but also reflects on how public empathy and interest are mobilised in the digital age, where celebrity culture increasingly serves as both entertainment and a barometer for broader societal sentiments.’
Ultimately, according to Annabelle: ‘Whether you like it or not, this is news for a large number of people – you only have to open any social media to see it plastered everywhere, so it makes sense that even serious news outlets have covered it.’
So if you’re feeling embarrassed about crying into your cornflakes over Tommy and Molly, don’t. We’re all in this together – just don’t contact us for 3-5 working days while we mourn.
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