Sun, sea and pecs... yes, the show that’s become the nation’s guilty pleasure is back – and making millions for its amorous stars

THEY are scenes that wouldn’t look out of place on a Club 18-30 holiday in Magaluf – as bronzed babes and buff hunks enjoy sun, sea and sangria aplenty, not to mention stolen moments of, ahem, close companionship.

It’s welcome back to Love Island, the television series that gripped our reality TV-obsessed nation last year because, of course, it’s where almost anything goes.

Love Island has a winning combination that even earned a surprise Bafta – and it returns to our screens tomorrow to the delight of teenagers and the outrage of most parents.

The show, in case you’ve missed it, plants a bunch of ‘sexy singletons’ on to a holiday island.

The aim is for each to find their perfect love match from among their fellow islanders.

The most convincing couple take home a £50,000 prize.

Panorama it is not, but Love Island is certainly big business.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt that ITV is making millions by selling the formula around the world to countries including Australia, Germany and Finland.

And the channel is not the only winner. Because, thanks to their unique appeal to the young, footloose and Instagram obsessed, the islanders themselves can expect to rake in a fortune thanks to hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of endorsements – as last year’s competitors have already found to their delight. Showbusiness agents and leading beauty and fashion brands are already lining up to strike deals with this year’s line- up of gymhoned competitors.

There is every indication that this year’s show will be even more successful than last year’s Love Islandor #LI17 as it known – which drew just under three million viewers for the finale, unheard of for ITV2.

It is already being talked about thanks to the participation of junior doctor Alex George, who has controversially swapped his work in Accident and Emergency for a few weeks on a sunbed. And this year’s favourite is Dani Dyer, the daughter of colourful EastEnder’s actor Danny Dyer.

So popular has the show proved that Love Island lingo has even crept into every day conversation, with ‘mugging off’ (disrespecting), ‘cracking on’ (heavy flirting), ‘pieing off’ (a humiliating rejection) and ‘melts’ (soppily affection men) all good subjects for a DMC (Deep and Meaningful Conversation).

Here we reveal how some of the show’s toned, beautiful and occasionally enhanced contestants have transformed themselves from swimwear-clad wannabes into the sort of money-making machines that leave the rest of us in the shade…