DIVA caught up with this new arrival to find out more about her time in the Masseria
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY BBC/TWO FOUR
We love IKAG for many reasons. The snogging, the flirting, the drama, the friendships. But in this series, we’re also living for the fashion. One of the cast members serving looks every night is new arrival, Kayleigh. I mean, just take a look at the TikTok edits.
Upon arrival, it was clear that Kayleigh was turning heads in the Masseria. But was it Tyra, Ebony or even fellow new arrival Almayra that was going to catch her eye?
We caught up with this IKAG icon to find out more about her time on the show.
Why did you want to go on the show?
I applied because the imposter syndrome surrounding my queerness has been everlasting. I’ve been in long-term relationships with women, I’ve had queer friends in the past, but I’ve always had that voice in the back of my head saying, “You’re not gay enough”. I’m straight-passing, I’m pansexual, so it’s always been a thing I’ve battled with. I thought that doing this, submerging myself in the Masseria, would help. And it did. Some of the people I met continue to soothe that fear in the back of my mind.
What did you learn about yourself on the show?
One thing I’ve taken away is that I’m way too harsh on myself. Being around so many people who loved me for me, and I didn’t have to prove a point of being queer, [showed me] I can just be myself. In terms of dating, I learned that I am so closed. Watching it back now, I’m like, “Damn, you could actually let someone in a bit! You’re allowed to do that!” It’s been a wake-up call for me to be a little less guarded. Right now, I’m like, “Damn, you’re an ice queen!”
Why is representation so important?
There’s still such a long way to go in terms of the progression that’s needed for so many different groups of people. Sometimes [it feels] like it’s not getting better, but it’s getting worse. Some people have this quite ignorant mindset that because gay marriage is legal, everything is fine. There are still so many things to overcome. So, having even this small sector of representation can change so many things for people. If I had had this show growing up, I know things would have been so different for me. I spent so many years being unkind to myself because I had no one around me to validate how I was feeling. It felt like a Martian. It’s great representation of a queer community having fun and finding connections.
What’s it been like to see the response online to the first episodes?
No words! It’s been an out-of-body experience. Before it dropped, we were all in denial that it was going to come out because it was so long ago. It’s quite funny to see the way people pick it apart and have their own takes. As a group, we’re all still very close, so we have a great support network. If there has been anything negative, you’ve got 16 of us that are there to talk about it. Every day I thank my lucky stars to be part of this group.
You can watch the first six episodes of IKAG on BBC iPlayer now.
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