Love Island – It’s back!

It was the surprise Summer TV hit of 2017, and the viewing figures and Twitter excitement looks set to make the 2018 version an even bigger hit. Yes, I am talking about Love Island, ITV2’s show where a host of beautiful people aim to find love in a gorgeous villa in Majorca. Think inane chatter, lots of fake tan and buff bodies, and not much in the way of clothing. It is gorgeously escapist, full of beautiful blue skies and it is totally addictive – but why?

Sex Sells

I think part of the reason for Love Island’s super popularity, especially amongst the younger generation is down to our attitudes towards sex, and the way that they are changing. I think we can all remember those early days of Big Brother, and the scandals that emerged when a couple of contestants seemed to be having a quick fumble under the covers, but contestants on Love Island have been quite open in having sex on screen, which mirrors what is happening in real life, with the rise of sex sites that cater to no strings dating and are now often free to use. The contestants may say they are looking for love, but the reality seems to be that fame and notoriety will do just as well, and sex seems a great way to achieve that.

Falling in Love

Another reason for the shows popularity could be that, ultimately, we are all romantics at heart and love the idea of watching people fall in love in front of our eyes, watching a relationship develop from tentative steps to full blown romance. Although watching this on TV may have felt strange to our grandparents generation, these days we tend to find love in less traditional ways, ranging from online dating sites, to speed dating and even through meeting people through Twitter, so meeting someone on television is very much par for the course in our digital, reality TV obsessed world.

The Beautiful People

Of course, the fact that the contestants are so good looking is no hindrance when it comes to the viewing figures. Perfect hair, teeth and nails, matched with endless legs and perfect buffed bodies all make Love Island an ‘easy on the eye’ viewing experience. The contestants are an assortment of models, personal trainers and all round gym bunnies, but there are also some endearing characters out there too, and this makes the show all the more compelling. This year Jack and Dani are early favourites with the Twitter crowd for their slightly goofy personalities, especially as Dani is the daughter of Eastenders Star Danny Dyer (yes, Danny did call his daughter Dani…which is the most Danny Dyer thing he could possibly have done.), whilst Jack apparently makes stationery interesting. My personal favourite is Niall from Coventry – gorgeous to look at, but also slightly geeky and down to earth, which makes him adorable and pretty irresistible.

Whether you are a fan of Love Island, or hate it with a passion, one thing is certain. In Summer 2018 it is going to be hard to avoid it.

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