Love Island is an American datingreality show based on the British series Love Island. The series was announced and commissioned on August 8, 2018, by CBS. It premiered on July 9, 2019, on CBS. The series is simulcast in Canada on CTV. On August 1, 2019, the show was renewed for a second season and was originally scheduled to premiere on May 21, 2020. However, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the production was postponed. The second season is expected to begin airing soon, with production moving to The Cromwell Las Vegas with strict quarantine measures expected to be in place.
Format
Love Island involves a group of contestants, referred to as Islanders, living in isolation from the outside world in a villa in Fiji, constantly under video surveillance. To survive in the villa the Islanders must be coupled up with another Islander, whether it be for love, friendship or money, as the overall winning couple receives $100,000. On the first day, the Islanders couple up for the first time based on first impressions, but over the duration of the series, they are forced to "re-couple" where they can choose to remain in their current couple or swap and change. Any Islander who remains single after the coupling is eliminated and "dumped" from the island. Islanders can also be eliminated via a public vote during the series. The public can vote for their favorite couple or who they think is the most compatible through the Love Island app available on smartphones. Couples who receive the fewest votes risk being eliminated. Occasionally, twists may occur where the islanders must eliminate each other. During the final week, the public vote for which couple they want to win the series and take home the prize. Whilst in the villa, each Islander has their own phone with which they can only contact other Islanders via text – or receive texts informing them of the latest challenges, dumping, or re-coupling. Islanders and couples must typically take part in many games and challenges designed to test their physical and mental abilities, with the winners receiving special prizes afterward. Some Islanders are also sent on dates outside the villa or can win dates by winning challenges.
Production
Development
On February 22, 2006, it was announced that an American version of Celebrity Love Island was in development at MyNetworkTV, but the show was not produced. On August 8, 2018, it was reported that CBS acquired the rights to an American non-celebrity version of the series from ITV Studios and Motion Content Group with David George, Adam Sher, and David Eilenberg serving as executive producers. Simon Thomas, Mandy Morris, Ben Thursby, Richard Foster, and Chet Fenster later joined the series as additional executive producers in addition to the original three. Arielle Vandenberg was later announced to be hosting the series. The first season of Love Island ran from July 9, 2019, to August 7, 2019. The show was renewed for a second season on August 1, 2019, while the first season was still being broadcast.
Broadcast
Love Island opened with a 90-minute premiere on July 9, 2019, and aired every weeknight through August 7, 2019, for a total of twenty-two episodes in its first season. In addition to the CBS broadcasts, the series is simulcast on CTV in Canada.
CBS initially announced on February 14, 2020 the second season would premiere on May 21, 2020. The second season was subsequently placed on hold with a new season premiere date to be determined after the network announced on April 7 they would launch CBS Sunday Movie for a five week run starting on May 3 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. An article from The Hollywood Reporter on April 7 noted that CBS would be without new seasons of Big Brother and Love Island during the summer. Unnamed sources to the publication said the network would rely on repeats of their scripted shows that "have historically repeated well." Kelly Kahl, President of CBS Entertainment, said the network was "optimistic" about airing both shows during the summer "a little later than usual" in an interview with Deadline on May 19, 2020. CBS revealed on July 23 that the next season of Big Brother would premiere on August 5 with new protocols to protect the cast and crew from COVID-19. The day prior, Vulture reported that pre-production has started on the second season of Love Island. Filming for the second season will take place at The Cromwell in Las Vegas instead of an international destination like with season one due to international travel restrictions related to COVID-19. The network and ITV will require everyone involved with the show to undergo quarantine prior to the beginning of production.
