ALL THEY NEED IS ‘LOVE’:
Summer staple proves a popular format, even during pandemic restrictions
Fans adore “Love Island,” even during COVID-19.
From it’s 2015 revival through summer 2019, “Love Island” became ITV2’S most-watched show ever. It turned a population into religious viewers, tuning in for daily sunny escapism for eight weeks on end. The BAFTA Award winning show brings young “Islanders” in search of love together in tropical isolation. They compete to remain coupled up and retain public favor, lest they find themselves dumped from the show. The public votes for which Islanders have surprise dates, who they want to see leave — and ultimately, who wins.
The voting keeps the audience engaged and the show’s official social media channels stay connected with viewers around the clock. And simply put, “Love Island’s” format rakes in the views. In 2019, Yougov reported that 43% of Love Island viewers were under the age of 30. With young people watching the least live broadcast television of any demo in the U.K., that is quite the feat. Australia channel 9GO! saw its 16-39 audience triple since “Love Island” launched. In Finland, too, “Love Island” delivered more than triple the average viewership numbers for its slot.
Four “Love Island” series are currently on air in various territories, including the U.S., as they managed to Covid-proof production and make their air dates.
In Mallorca, the German edition is currently producing its fourth season, following three successful seasons. The Netherlands/belgium version is shooting its second season in Gran Canaria. The American version also managed to adapt, swapping tropical breezes for Las Vegas heat. Season 2 of the series premiered on Aug. 24.
“Love Island” USA executive producer Simon Thomas says, “Our team wasn’t simply focused on how we could do it. Rather, the discussion was, ‘How do we make it better, more fun and more dramatic, while also making it safe for our cast members and crew?’”
“Despite everything,” he says, “I think we’ve really cracked a way to bring fans a ‘Love Island’ worthy of the name.” ɿ