And give CBS another game-playing summer
In a summer full of games, two CBS contests that take up much of the network’s seasonal real estate are back.
The lineup on Wednesday, July 7, begins with the Season 23 premiere of “Big Brother” – which sees continuing host Julie Chen Moonves welcome new “houseguests” who will tackle competitions and strategize among themselves to be the last person standing when the $500,000 grand prize is awarded. Then, “Love Island” returns for its third season, with host Arielle Vandenberg again surveying what happens to romance seekers pursuing a $100,000 payout as the show relocates to the Hawaiian Islands.
Since events on “Love Island” (which was inspired by a hit British series) occur only a matter of hours before an episode is broadcast, executive producer Ben Thursby attests, “What’s great about the show is that you never know what’s coming. Last year was obviously a challenge; this was one of the first shows to happen during the pandemic (staged in Las Vegas under strict protocols), and we’re feeling very positive about this season.”
“We plan a lot in advance,” adds fellow “Love Island” executive producer Jessica Castro, “but then, we roll with everything that’s happening in the villa and react to it. We did have a lot of stuff ready to go last year (when the original plan was to return to Fiji), and we were able to pivot. It was a new challenge for us as TV producers.”
Thursby appreciates the pairing of “Love Island” with “Big Brother,” noting that “they’re not new to the game, so it’s nice to be doing this with them.” Having started at the tail end of the summer in 2020 due to a COVID-19-prompted delay, “Love Island” is now back to being the “summer experience” that Thursby cites with delight: “We’re ready for a summer of fun, for sure.”
While “Big Brother” will air Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays through the summer, “Love Island” will (as in the past) occupy even more time on the CBS schedule, airing every night except Mondays and Saturdays. And if that’s not enough, additional content from both shows will be available on the Paramount+ streaming service – with “Love Island” supplying it for the first time, involving material that is “too hot for CBS,” per Thursby.
“Yes, we have a ton of hours,” Castro acknowledges, “but we’re definitely going to bring back some of the challenges that people know and love, along with a lot of twists and turns. ‘Casa Amor’ (which gives ‘Love Island’ participants new romantic options midway through the season) is definitely a huge draw for people, and we’re going to give the fans all the highlights, along with a lot of new stuff.”