'Love Island' contestant whose dad was jailed for beating a woman appeals for viewers not to judge him

A ‘Love Island’ contestant whose dad was jailed for beating a woman has appealed to viewers to get to know the real him, and not make judgements on him based on his father’s crimes.

Kyonne Gravina, aged 18, is set to appear on an upcoming season of the popular dating show, but ahead of heading in to the villa he has revealed his dark family connection. He’s acknowledged that is likely to be subjected to some negativity because of the crime his dad committed, but he’s pleaded with fans of the show to separate him from his father and see that he is “different” from him.

Kyonne, 18, is the son of Keith Gravina, who was jailed last year for beating up a woman. He then died by suicide in April, five months after seriously harming himself in his prison cell. Now, the teen is set to look for love on ‘Love Island’ Malta. Earlier today, (Wednesday May 15), the ‘Love Island’ Malta production team released a video introducing Kyonne as one of the contestants for the reality show’s second season.

Kyonne told ‘Times of Malta’: “I wish people would see that I’m not him. I know what he did was wrong and I hope I can use my experience on Love Island to show people that I’m different. I couldn’t control what my father did. He did those things, not me. I am Kyonne, he is Keith: we’re two different people. I may look a bit like him but I didn’t do the things he did.”

As is usual practice when contestants are taking part in the dating show, Kyonne will not be able to see what people are saying about him on social media or have any contact with the outside world while he is in the ‘Love Island’ villa for the next few weeks - but he told the publication that he does expect some hate comments about his decision to join the show because of what his dad did.

He added: “I’ll try, as much as I can, to not let them affect me. After all, I can’t control what people think and say. I don’t think they have reason to hate on me but it’s up to them, I can’t stop them.” Kyonne first told ‘The Times Malta’ that he had applied to join the cast of ‘Love Island Malta’ this year shortly after his father’s death.

Keith Gravina, who was a chef and restaurant owner, was given a four-year prison sentence last November after he was found guilty of beating up a woman in her home in 2018. The woman had told court Gravina punched her, took her clothes off and "tried to kill her" with an extension cord, reports ‘The Times Malta’.

He separately stood accused of assaulting another woman last October, injuring her grievously by hitting her with a metal rod, holding her against her will, as well as unlawful possession and procurement of cocaine.

Police had told court that after receiving reports of screams coming from the 42-year-old’s diner, they attended the scene and found the woman half-naked on the floor, covered in blood. Just days after Gravina was sentenced for his first crime, and while the case for the second alleged crime was still pending in court, he seriously harmed himself in his prison cell and almost died. He survived the incident but died last month, after spending five months in hospital.

Kyonne told ‘The Times Malta’ that he was distraught by the actions his father had been accused of. On one hand, he said he loved him as his father, but on the other he couldn't accept or justify his actions. “I understand that people are angry. He did bad things, not just to that woman but also to my mother, and I saw some horrible things myself. It was not right and I used to argue with him [about his behaviour],” he said.

“I would sometimes go help him at the diner and I would try to talk some sense into him. I continued to help him as I could, hoping that one day I’d have a good father, just like everyone else. I kept longing for a father figure because I never had one, and I kept trying till the end. I now hope people can understand that I’m not like him – rather that I grew up differently, stronger, thanks to that harsh past.”

Kyonne finished the interview by saying he now hopes to have a peaceful life. He said: “All I want in life is to be successful, have a family and see my mother happy. That’s the most important thing.”