Love Island USA has been renewed at CBS for season 3 after a ratings increase in season 2, which aired during the summer of 2020. Production is reportedly moving to Hawaii.
Season 1 of Love Island USA aired in July 2019 and was shot in Fiji. The first season of the American remake of the British hit didn't do very well, and its renewal for season 2 came as a surprise. After a setback with the pandemic, Love Island USA season 2 began airing in August 2020, filming on the rooftop of the Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas instead of on an island. The original British series shut down for the summer, but usually shoots in Mallorca, Spain. With the British series shut down and many people quarantined at home, Love Island USA gained lots of viewers in 2020 and season 2 became a huge hit. The season was won by Justine Ndiba and Caleb Corprew, who recently announced their split. Other finalists Cely Vazquez and Johnny Middlebrooks, Moira Tumas and Calvin Cobb, and Laurel Goldman and Carrington Rodriguez have also all split since the finale. Contestants Mackenzie Dipman and Connor Trott are the only couple still together, and recently celebrated five months of dating.
On Wednesday morning, Deadline announced that CBS has renewed Love Island for a third season and are currently casting. CBS' Senior Executive Vice President of Programming, Thom Sherman, broke the news during the network's virtual press event. Production will be moving from Las Vegas to Hawaii for this third season. The network is now casting new singles for the summer 2021 season. The show ran for 34 episodes on season 2 but is still falling short in comparison to the British series. With the ratings increase in season 2, it's possible that the show will run for longer than three seasons.
The original British Love Island is also currently casting for a new summer season. At one point, ITV considered trying to do a season in the middle of the pandemic by setting it in the UK, but ultimately decided to postpone it. The first season of "winter" Love Island took place in January 2020 and was filmed in South Africa. Love Island was unable to return for the winter season of 2021 as well.
With Love Island USA and the British version potentially competing for viewers this summer, it will be interesting to see how many viewers stay loyal to the American edition. This new version's track record for forming lasting couples isn't as strong as the original version's so far, but season 3 could change that.
Source: Deadline