Love Island: All Stars villa evacuated over wildfires

Love Island: All Stars villa evacuated over wildfires

ITV has announced that filming for the third series of Love Island: All Stars has been temporarily halted following the evacuation of the villa due to wildfires. The show, which is being filmed in South Africa, had been scheduled to premiere this Monday. However, a message shared on the program’s official Instagram page stated that the safety and well-being of everyone involved remain the top priority, resulting in a delay of the series’ broadcast until further notice. No specific timeline has yet been provided regarding when production might resume.

Reports from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) highlighted the ongoing efforts by authorities, in collaboration with the South African Air Force, to manage several wildfire incidents affecting the Western Cape area where the Love Island villa is located. The All Stars edition of the popular dating show brings back former contestants from previous seasons in a fresh attempt to find their ideal partners. This particular series is presented by Maya Jama and features a cast of 12 including past winners Jess Harding, 25, and Millie Court, 29.

Among the notable participants is Jack Keating, aged 26 and the son of Irish singer Ronan Keating. Other returning players include Belle Hassan, Charlie Frederick, Ciaran Davies, Helena Ford, Leanne Amaning, Sean Stone, Shaq Muhammad, Tommy Bradley, and Whitney Adebayo, whose ages range from early twenties to late twenties. The previous season 12, which aired last summer, drew strong viewership with 2.6 million tuning in for the premiere. Additionally, ITVX, the subscription streaming platform, saw a 9% increase in streams compared to the prior year.

Despite its popularity, the last season faced significant criticism, receiving over 14,000 complaints related to allegations of bullying, abusive conduct, and misogyny, especially tied to the tensions among some female contestants. Ofcom, the media regulator, decided against launching an investigation, stating that the problematic behavior was not portrayed positively and was consistent with the type of content audiences expect from the show. ITV responded by emphasizing that all participants undergo training ahead of filming focusing on respectful relationship conduct and awareness of controlling or coercive behavior

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