Love Island AXES winter series but ITV2 show will return ‘bigger and better than ever’ with an extended run in summer 2021
ITV have axed the Winter series of Love Island, with the show returning to screens in Summer 2021.
The Summer 2020 series was cancelled due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and on Monday bosses at the channel announced that the next series of the ITV2 dating show won’t be for another year.
‘Love Island UK will return bigger and better than ever with an extended run in summer 2021,’ ITV announced in a statement to MailOnline.
It will be back…eventually! ITV have axed the Winter series of Love Island, with the show returning to screens in Summer 2021
The axing of both the summer 2020 series and a winter series in early 2021 is in large part down to the coronavirus pandemic, with restrictions on travel and during filming causing huge issues for the show.
Pre-production on the winter 2021 series would be taking place in the coming weeks, and with so many restrictions still in place, it’s thought it just wouldn’t be ;possible to fly cast and crew to location and work safely.
Instead producers are keen to focus on one bumper season of the show next summer, which will likely return to Mallorca, after the winter 2020 series took place in South Africa.
The first ever winter series of the show gave ITV2 its best ever January and February ratings with an average 3.1m viewers.
It was announced last month that there will be no Love Island this summer, but the channel is instead repeating the first series (2018) of Love Island Australia from Monday 15 June at 9pm.
ITV bosses pulled the plug on the summer series after casting had begun, revealing it was a logistical impossibility to safeguard ‘the wellbeing of everyone involved’ amid the ongoing global pandemic.
Kevin Lygo, Director of Television at ITV, said: ‘We have tried every which way to make Love Island this summer but logistically it’s just not possible to produce it in a way that safeguards the wellbeing of everyone involved and that for us is the priority.
‘In normal circumstances we would be preparing very soon to travel out to the location in Mallorca to get the villa ready but clearly that’s now out of the question.
‘We are very sorry for fans of the show but making it safely is our prime concern and Love Island will be back stronger than ever in 2021. In the meantime Love Island fans can still enjoy all six series of Love Island on BritBox.’
Host Laura Whitmore weighed in on the cancellation, saying it was the right decision.
She tweeted: ‘Like with a lot of things because of restrictions with travel, social distancing and unable to plan ahead, Love Island is postponed until 2021.
‘Great news is that there have been more applications then any other series! Next year is going to be BIG. Stay safe.’
Lygo had recently hinted Love Island 2020 was going to be axed as it might send the wrong signal to viewers during a time of social distancing.
Speaking during a virtual interview by the Edinburgh TV Festival, he said: ‘What signal might it be sending out if we’re doing a show where everyone is crammed together slavering over each other, and the rest of the world is told not to go near anyone in the park?’ he added.
Love Island last aired on screens at the beginning of this year when ITV2 commissioned the show’s first ever winter series, filmed in South Africa.
Laura took over as host from her friend Caroline Flack, who tragically took her own life in February.
Shortly after the show came off air that month, the global coronavirus pandemic spread around the world, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson enforcing a lockdown on 23 March.