Love Islanders beware: there will be cheetahs at the new villa.
But as well as a crop of conventionally attractive potential love rats, the new South African chateau the reality show contestants will be moving into is by a rescue centre for cheetahs.
ITV have spent £1.2m renovating the new location in the rural wine valley of Franschhoek, which will be home to singletons looking for love in the first winter edition of the series since 2020.
A Cheetah Outreach project sits nearby, protecting the wild animals native to the area, which roam through the farmlands.
Love Island kicks off on January 16th with new host Maya Jama, who takes over from Laura Whitmore.
The presenter kicked off promotion for the show last night on ITV, riding a pink, velvet bucking bronco and telling viewers: “It’s time to grab love by the horns.”
The new villa is a sprawling 17-bed estate, with a swimming pool, a rugby pitch and its own zip line.
Last week, bosses revealed they were boosting their duty of care measures after complaints about contestants bullying one another during the summer series.
Contestants’ families will also pause their social media activity during the series, after trolls bombarded the Islanders’ accounts with nasty messages.
