American TV viewers are going to have to learn what it means when a melt is mugged off after US network CBS announced it was making its own version of Love Island.
ITV said on Wednesday it had sold the rights to the dating show, which has been an enormous financial and ratings hit, following strong interest from American broadcasters.
The final edition of the most recent UK series, won by Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham, was watched by a peak audience of 3.6 million, with millions more following online.
The programme has achieved what many in the television industry feared was impossible: persuading younger viewers to tune in to a traditional television broadcast at a fixed time every night – making it a highly attractive prospect for advertisers. It has also made stars of its contestants, who can use their appearances as a springboard towards being social-media influencers.
“Love Island has been a massive success overseas,” said Sharon Vuong, of CBS. “It’s currently seen, or about to premiere in several European countries as well as Australia, and we’re thrilled that ITV has partnered with us to bring their most successful show to American television. Having seen the reaction of audiences across the pond and around the world to this most recent season, we expect American viewers will be captivated by this engaging format.”
Vuong said there was an intellectual aspect to her decision to acquire the programme for the US TV network. “Love Island is more than a pop sensation,” she said. “This series has generated compelling ‘sociological think pieces’ in major publications here and abroad.”
Past series of the UK edition had already been showing on the American catch-up TV service Hulu, where it attracted a cult audience and baffled interest from highbrow US media outlets. The Washington Post concluded that American viewers were attracted “by the Britishness of it all”.
“It’s a TV dating show that manages to be trashy, yet a tad classy,” the paper said.
All global versions of Love Island are produced by local offshoots of ITV’s in-house production company, meaning the broadcaster stands to make a substantial amount of money as it is rolled out around the world. Foreign editions of the programme are already massive ratings successes in Germany and Australia, and further versions are due to launch in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland.
