Love Island set for surprise spin-off – and fans are in for a treat
HOTELS with a Love Island flavour could soon be on their way after a brainwave by the dating show’s creators.
They have registered the name so it can be used to create their own branded accommodation.
The hit series has given us new catchphrases and some particularly impressive bikinis, not to mention millions of extra viewers for ITV since it was revived in 2015.
Now it could be time to crack on and let the popularity pay off in the holiday market.
A TV insider said: “It may sound like a bit of a whacky idea but in many ways Love Island hotels are a no-brainer.
“After all, the dating show is all about people basking in the sunshine by the poolside in luxurious accommodation.
“Then there’s the added prospect of finding love with someone while you are away. So they’re just trying to replicate the vibe of the show.
“Why not go the whole hog and give the hotels a total Love Island feel?”
Luckily, if anyone can’t wait for them to open, the show will be returning to ITV2 next month with an All Stars version featuring former contestants.
The line-up is rumoured to include Kaz Crossley, Faye Winter and Joe Garratt, with Maya Jama returning as host.
As part of registering the name, there are several ventures that can use the title of the ITV2 dating show.
One is dating apps which allow wannabe lovers to find their future partners, perhaps while they’re sunning themselves for a week in a Love Island hotel.
Now that’s not my kinda holiday, on paper.
Aimee's Daddy Issues
SEX Education star Aimee Lou Wood will join David Morrissey in new six-part BBC comedy Daddy Issues, which hits screens on BBC Three and iPlayer next year.
They play father and daughter Malcolm and Gemma, who move in together when Gemma gets pregnant.
New to the dating game
FIRST Dates will welcome three new faces as Fred Siriex and the team return for the tenth anniversary series next year.
Bartender James McCleave and waiting staff Aoife Smyth and Kofi Yeboah-Mensah have been recruited for the latest run from January 2.
Barman Merlin Griffiths will return for his first series since 2022 after illness, alongside waitress Cici Coleman, a regular on the Channel 4 show since 2015.
The action has moved from Manchester to Bath and James told me: “I’ve always watched the show so to now work alongside Fred and Merlin is a dream come true.
“I’m from Bath, I’m working in my home town, so it feels like everything clicked into place.”
Aoife added: “When we first arrived I kept looking around and thinking, ‘Oh my god, I’m here’.”
And Kofi said: “Working in hospitality, I’ve always loved seeing a couple come in for their first date, talking about how it’s going and being the person to make sure it goes in the right direction.
“This opportunity was perfect for me. But I never expected to be doing that on TV.”
To complete this year’s line-up, First Dates Hotel star Francesca Martusciello has flown in from Italy to wait on daters at the new restaurant location in Somerset.