“Love Island” is set to return for both a winter and summer edition in 2023, ITV has confirmed.
The show, which is made by ITV and Lifted Entertainment (part of ITV Studios) is a cash cow for the broadcaster, with the highly coveted 16-34 year old demographic tuning in nightly on ITV2 for the eighth season (pictured above) this year.
A winter edition will air in the new year, with a fresh batch of contestants flying out to South Africa for some fun in the sun. It will be followed by the traditional summer edition in Mallorca approximately four months later.
The series, which re-launched in its current iteration in 2015, has been streamed 74 million times on ITVs online platforms and has minted numerous new celebrities, weddings and even babies.
Tragically the show has also been linked with three deaths, with two former contestants and former host Caroline Flack dying by suicide. In the wake of the tragedies, ITV beefed up its duty of care protocols, which ensure contestants have access to therapy and financial management advice as well as social media training after their time in the villa.
“’Love Island’ has once again proved itself to be the nation’s favourite talking point across the summer, and we’re always blown away by the show’s ongoing impact and talkability amongst our younger audience,” said Paul Mortimer, director of reality commissioning and controller at ITV2. “So, rather than just serving up a Summer of Love, we thought we’d make 2023 the Year of Love with two full [seasons] of the show.”
Mike Spencer, executive producer at Lifted Entertainment, added: “After eight brilliant series, we are excited to be serving up two helpings of love in 2023 by kicking off in January at a stunning new villa in South Africa. We can look forward to more romances, bromances and everything in between as we embark on another epic year of love.”
“Love Island” is distributed by ITV Studios.
From Variety US