Love Island is finally back! The coronavirus pandemic may have robbed us of a new summer UK series this year but the US version has gone ahead with series 2 - and it’s just started airing on ITV2. However, the pandemic has meant producers have had to make some big changes to comply with restrictions.
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All the Islanders and people working on the show quarantined in a bubble before the series started so that social distancing wouldn't be necessary inside the villa. But whilst the pandemic won't stop the Islanders 'doing bits', it has stopped them from technically being actual ‘Islanders’ - since the 'villa' is now located on top of a hotel in Las Vegas rather than on the island of Fiji.
The designers of the show have done a pretty impressive job of transplanting the usual villa decor onto the top of the Cromwell hotel on the Las Vegas strip - complete with pool and circular sofas round the fire pit. But being on top of the hotel does mean that the Islanders are less disconnected from the outside world than they usually are.
Love Island US host Arielle Vandenberg said:
It is really cool having the show set in Vegas, Vegas has this energy about it!... We have the most epic villa! They created this house on top of the hotel and it is so beautiful and you have this awesome view of the Vegas strip it brings a whole new light and energy to the show.
Whilst the UK airing of the show is two weeks behind and only just started on Monday night, over in the US they’re two weeks in and have just announced that half the Islanders are about to be sent to Casa Amor. It's not yet clear where exactly Casa Amor is going to be - will it be another floor of the hotel? Or on the roof of another hotel on the strip? Only time will tell...
