Love Island is coming to the United States. CBS has acquired the rights to the international hit reality series. A new series is set to be produced with ITV Entertainment and CBS, Sharon Vuong, senior vice president of alternative programming at CBS, said.
“Love Island has been a massive success overseas,” Vuong said in a statement. “It’s currently seen, or about to premiere in several European countries as well as Australia, and we’re thrilled that ITV has partnered with us to bring their most successful show to American television. Having seen the reaction of audiences ‘across the pond’ and around the world to this most recent season, we expect American viewers will be captivated by this engaging format. Additionally, Love Island is more than a pop sensation; this series has generated compelling ‘sociological think pieces’ in major publications here and abroad.”
The reality series features a group of single “islanders” in a tropical location. They’re looking for romance, but what usually happens on reality shows? Drama! There are “challenges and dramatic twists” with the contestants—or Islanders—with alliances and such as the game is played. Viewers have a role in developing events on screen and crown the winning couple who will receive a cash prize.
Love Island season four was the most-watched program ever on UK’s ITV2 network. Almost half of the adult viewers watching the most recent season were under 34.
“As a format, Love Island breaks the mold with high levels of viewer interactivity and participation that influence the content of the show in a way that’s extremely addictive,” David George, CEO of ITV America, said in a statement. “It’s a cultural phenomenon that builds anticipation with every episode and creates appointment viewing—a pretty hard thing to do in today’s TV landscape. We’re ecstatic the show has found a home at CBS and look forward to working collaboratively to engage its millions of viewers.”