"Love Island" is a reality dating show where a group of singles, known as "Islanders," live together in a villa isolated from the outside world. Constantly under video surveillance, they must couple up with another Islander to survive in the villa, whether for love, friendship, or money. The public votes for their favorite Islanders, and those with the fewest votes risk elimination. New Islanders are frequently introduced to shake things up. Ultimately, the public votes for their favorite couple to win a cash prize.
The show originated in the UK in 2005 as "Celebrity Love Island". It was revived in 2015 and has since spawned numerous international versions. The U.S. version premiered on CBS on July 9, 2019, before moving to Peacock. The show is known for its "cheeky, romantic, [and] iconic" tone.
"Love Island" features a rotating cast of contestants each season.
UK Version: The show has been hosted by Caroline Flack, Laura Whitmore, and Maya Jama. Iain Stirling is the narrator.
US Version: The show has been hosted by Arielle Vandenberg, Sarah Hyland, and Ariana Madix. Iain Stirling narrates, although Matthew Hoffman previously narrated.
Examples of contestants include:
- Kordell Beckham: Season 6 winner (USA)
- Serena Page: Season 6 winner (USA)
- Zac Mirabelli: Season 1 winner (USA)
- Elizabeth Weber: Season 1 winner (USA)
- Hannah Wright: Season 5 winner (USA)
- Marco Donatelli: Season 5 winner (USA)
Ratings and reception vary across seasons and episodes. For example, one episode of the UK version, #12.19, has an IMDb rating of 6.4/10. Episode #12.36 has a slightly lower score at 5.8/10. "Love Island USA's" Episode #7.24 received a rating of 6.0/10.
The U.S. version has achieved significant success on Peacock. Season 7 of "Love Island USA" garnered more than 18 billion minutes streamed. For the week of July 7–13, 2025, it was the most-streamed program in the United States, according to Nielsen.
UK Version: As of February 2026, the UK version has aired 12 seasons.
US Version: As of February 2026, the U.S. version has aired 7 seasons.
As of July 5, 2024, 234 episodes of "Love Island" (American TV series) have aired.
The series was picked up for its fourth and fifth seasons by Peacock in February 2022. The sixth season premiered on June 11, 2024, and the seventh season premiered on June 3, 2025. "Love Island" premieres on Peacock every day but Wednesday.
The show has multiple spin-offs, including "Love Island Games", "Love Island: Aftersun", "Love Island: The Reunion", and "Love Island: Beyond the Villa".
There are multiple trailers for different versions and seasons of "Love Island" and its spin-offs. Here are a few examples:
Several shows offer a similar blend of romance, drama, and competition in exotic locations:
- Too Hot to Handle: Singles must form genuine connections without physical intimacy to win a prize.
- Bachelor in Paradise: Former contestants from "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette" get a second chance at love in a tropical setting.
- Temptation Island: Couples are separated and tempted by singles to test the strength of their relationships.
