Love Island will return to the screens this summer, about 18 months since it last operated, ITV confirmed.
However, the broadcaster has not yet announced any details, such as where the accommodation will be.
‘Looking At All Options’
An earlier summer series took place in Mallorca, but reports this week suggested that ITV indicated that the island of Jersey could be a possible location.
The channel has also announced a list of new dramas and entertainment programs to play in the coming months.
Earlier this year, ITV chief executive Dame Carolyn McCall said they were “looking all the options” to bring back Love Island.
She told the BBC’s Amol Rajan: “We will want to put Love Island on air because it’s been off air for a little while, we didn’t do it last summer. We’re looking at all our options at the moment because the pandemic makes that hard.”
Break From Broadcast
The latest series of Love Island took place in the winter, culminating in February 2020, when Paige Turley and Finley Tapp were crowned winners. (Together, next year.)
The series took place just before the coronavirus pandemic, and it marked the first winter race of the show that had been broadcast only in the summer months.
Since the series was off the air, ITV2 was broadcasting worldwide series programs in its place to fill air time, such as Love Island Australia.
Laura Whitmore is likely to return to hosting role, after she previously stood in for former presenter Caroline Flack, who died last February.
It is not yet clear how the show will work if social distancing is still required this summer.
However, it is likely that the Covid-19 restrictions will be significantly lower by then, according to the government’s four-step plan to reduce many lockout rules in June, as well as the continued success of the coronavirus vaccine.
While some measures still work, some series like Strictly have used daily tests and competing blisters as a way to stay in the air.
But the pandemic has caused significant disruption to TV productions. Both Strictly and Dancing On Ice saw contestants leave after testing positive for Covid-19, while I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here relocated from Australia to Wales.
Love Island was one of several commissions verified by ITV on Thursday, as it announced details of its summer programs.
Other Developments
ITV also announced:
- The first series of The Masked Dancer, a spin-off from their hugely successful The Masked Singer, which will see an all-star panel try to guess the identities of disguised celebrities by the way they dance.
- New entertainment shows featuring Ian Wright (Moneyball) Vernon Kay (Game of Talents).
- The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, a new drama from Unforgotten writer Chris Lang, on the story of John Darwin, who faked his own death to claim his life insurance.
- Ready to Mingle, a dating game show that will follow a single girl in her search for a perfect partner, as 12 male suitors compete for her affections.
- An updated version of Stars In Their eyes, titled Starstruck, which will see members of the public transform into pop stars.
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