Love Island producer teases possibility of LGBT series
100% our type of show on paper.
By Will Stroude
Love Island producers have once again teased the possibility of a special LGBT version of the show.
The hit ITV reality series, which sees members of the public attempt to couple up in a shared villa to avoid eviction and earn the chance to win £50,000, has become water-cooler television since relaunching in 2015.
After two bisexual contestants up on the 2016 series, there were calls for Love Island to include more LGBT+ singles, but ITV boss Kevin Lygo later shut down the idea, saying the format “doesn’t allow it”.
However, producers have now given their strongest suggestion yet that a separate, LGBT-specific version of the series could be on the cards, DigitalSpy reports.
Speaking at the BAFTA TV Awards on Sunday (May 13) ahead of the show’s return to screens next month, producer Richard Cowles said he’d “absolutely” be up for an LGBT+ Love Island.
“We’ve had bisexual people in the show – for a dating show, you need everyone to fancy everyone, so if you have gay and heterosexual in the same place, they’re not going to fancy each other,” he explained.
“We’d have to [have a] dedicated show [for that]… Absolutely we’d consider two series a year.”
Double the Love Island? Consider us sold.