For as long as I can remember, Love Island UK has been an absolute pleasure to tune into, but unfortunately, the franchise could be coming to a devastating end.
Since my early twenties, I have engulfed myself in the smouldering hot temperatures and blossoming romances on the ITV show, as another set of new contestants head off to sunnier regions to hopefully find love.
With the continuous drama, the fiery love triangles, the friendships and of course, the unforgettable islanders, there was definitely something captivating about the way emotions were stirred up as the rising stars played the game of love, with just enough chaos to keep me hooked.
I’ve watched every series of Love Island, from the first season in 2015 to the latest. But now, as someone in her thirties, things just don’t thrill me as much anymore, and many share my sentiment.
After a struggling winter series, Love Island All Stars was announced, which first hit screens last year with host Maya Jama at the helm.
A twist that promised to bring together iconic islanders from past seasons, my excitement was palpable. Could this be the perfect blend of nostalgia and new drama?
But now in its second series, it felt like a tired formula. The familiar excitement, the electric energy that had drawn me in season after season, was suddenly missing.
The returning contestants, who are now familiar with the game, seemed to be going through the motions. The spark that once ignited the villa felt it was often dragging.
As the episodes continued, it became increasingly clear that Love Island All Stars wasn’t quite the hit the broadcaster hoped it to be, with this year’s launch pulling in the least numbers of viewers – at 640,000 – since the show first began.
As things progressed this year, the interactions felt staged, and the drama seemed forced with viewers being forced to decipher whether the connections were genuine at all or if they were on a prowl for a deal once the show finished.
The public had already seen the best of these individuals, and after the whirlwind romances and betrayals from their initial seasons, it was hard to get invested in their journeys again.
For contestants like Casey Gorman, who has been on the show three years in a row, viewers have also grown tired of the predictable takes.
As the show reaches its finale tonight (February 17), it’s hard to deny the truth that Love Island All Stars had marked the decline of something that once held a special place in my heart and although a fresh batch of contestants are lined up for this summer, I think viewers are growing tired of the usual format.
While I still loved the series, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the magic had been lost somewhere in the shuffle of familiar faces and recycled drama.
Although hard core fans have been keeping the show afloat with discussions on online platforms, it’s clear that the attraction and the major pull it once had, isn’t the same anymore.
I’m not too sure what ITV can do to resurrect Love Island but judging from comments online, viewers know best as they’ve demanded for the reintroduction of certain games as well as leaving the voting structure purely in their hands.
With a new season in the pipeline (albeit not an All Stars version), let’s hope the producers listen to the viewers and introduce some changes to reinvigorate the spark Love Island needs
Love Island All Stars finishes at 9pm on Monday, February 17 on ITV2