Could ‘Montoya por favor!’ change reality tv as we know it?

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On 8th January the eighth season of Temptation Island entered onto tv screens around Spain, featuring five single couples ready to put their relationship to the test of temptation. Among these contestants, a charming sevillano bad boy who would go on to become a worldwide name.

The premise of Temptation Island is not a new one; it has been running on and off for 25 years in Spain. Couples are separated into two villas where they are met with singles trying to tempt them away from their partners. They are then shown footage of their partner’s time in the villa. 

It was from one of these viewings that ‘Montoya por favor!’ was born. During a live stream, we see him watch his girlfriend Anita cry to her fellow show mate about Montoya’s interaction with a temptress. Later tempter Miguel (who Montoya has already dubbed ‘Papafrita’, an Andalucian insult meaning dummy, stupid or fool) comes to comfort her with more than just words. 

Lightning strikes, he falls to his knees screaming ‘you have destroyed me!’. Many on TikTok have called this a cinematic masterpiece. The host continues shouting ‘Montoya por favor!’, herself and the cameraman now sprinting after Montoya. 

The camera hides very little, as does Montoya in his anguish. The viral clip sees him sprint across the beach to the villa where Anita and her tempter are now speeding up proceedings. Lightning strikes, he falls to his knees screaming ‘you have destroyed me!’. Many on TikTok have called this a cinematic masterpiece. The host continues shouting ‘Montoya por favor!’, herself and the cameraman now sprinting after Montoya. 

It seems any potential ethical issues have been pushed aside in the case of Temptation Island, perhaps in turn provoking such international intrigue. A contestant watching their partner have sex with another person live is an extreme that doesn’t compare to the twitches under bedsheets we may occasionally see in Love Island.

‘Had British people the sort of personalities that made them scream into the thundering sky, rather than passively squirm with disappointment when faced with a moment of emotional discomfort, then maybe it would still be on television here.’ 

Stuart Heritage, The Guardian

Whilst there has been one series in of a UK Temptation Island back in 2001, it saw little success. TV writer Stuart Heritage claims this is perhaps due to a cultural difference in temperament: ‘had British people the sort of personalities that made them scream into the thundering sky, rather than passively squirm with disappointment when faced with a moment of emotional discomfort, then maybe it would still be on television here.’ 

Love Island presenter Maya Jama has also acknowledged the difference between UK and Spanish tv:  ‘10/10 performance. They would never allow this on UK tv for so many reasons but it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen’. When asked why: ‘people would complain’.

Indeed, in 2021 25,000 Ofcom complaints were reported after a very heated argument between Love Island contestants Faye and Teddy following the latter’s behaviour in Casa Amor (a concept similar to Temptation Island).

In Spain, Ester Hola from El Mundo claims the humanity of Montoya is refreshing for audiences. ‘He’s a bad boy showing us his weaknesses and watching this on tv, watching this on a reality tv show, I think for many years it hasn’t had the likes of a person who gets undressed without stopping to think for one moment that so many people are watching him, that he is making a fool of himself because it is a ridiculous situation.’ This certainly also rings true in the UK, with semi-scripted shows such as Made in Chelsea, and Love Island for several years doing all it takes to revive ‘bored’ audiences. 

Montoya’s tantrum, like many reality tv moments, has received criticism for its legitimacy.  Whilst producers say the show is completely unscripted, many in the cast including Montoya have already appeared in other reality tv programmes, therefore understanding what is expected of them. 

Real or fake, this is certainly a prominent reality tv moment that has found fame beyond language barriers, and other realities will now have to aim to match the Montoya mania that has resulted from Temptation Island. Stuart Heritage puts it best: ‘we live in a post Montoya por favor world. Everyone else , with all their normal human reactions, need to get with the programme’.