The premiere date of Love Island USA season 4 has been revealed. This news comes 10 months after the third season wrapped. In a shift from the first three seasons, which aired on CBS, it was announced in February that Love Island season 4 will stream on Peacock. The NBC Universal-owned streaming service will also have exclusive streaming rights for season 5.
The American version of the UK's mega hit Love Island, which also has spin-offs based in Australia and South Africa, follows the same format as its predecessor. The dating show puts a mix of young singletons in a villa, where they live together and try to "couple up," hopefully finding love in the process. Meanwhile, the public can vote for which contestants, both as individuals and as couples, they want to send home. The public also chooses the winning pair, which receives a cash prize of $100,000. The show is hosted by Arielle Vanderberg, with comedic narration provided by Matthew Hoffman. Fans who missed Arielle, Matthew and the juicy drama can now mark their calendars for its return.
The big news was posted on the official Love Island USA Instagram page on Wednesday, June 8. The post was captioned, "Swipe to see the steamy news." The first side, which cheekily referenced Instagram's Sensitive Content feature, read, "This photo contains top secret information about the Love Island USA date on Peacock." The second slide showed an image of a beach, with a bikini and swim trunks in the ocean, and the date written in sand. The Love Island USA season 4 premiere date was revealed to be Tuesday, July 19. The post was liked by season 2 winner Justine Ndiba and season 3 fan-favorite Cashay Proudfoot. Other previous contestants, including Love Island season 2 stars Kierstan Saulter and Bennett Sipes, commented their excitement for the new season. What the Instagram page hasn't confirmed, however, is the location of the upcoming season. So far, every season has been set in a different location.
Some fans commented that this was the first time they found out about the switch to Peacock. However, the Love Island USA Instagram account had posted about the change three weeks prior. That post promised, "Due to the explicit nature of this show, Love Island will now be streaming on Peacock all steaming summer." While the move was surprising to many, the decision was reportedly made due to low ratings. CBS apparently wanted to order fewer episodes as a result. Instead, producers searched for a new home, with Peacock winning the bidding war. Many viewers will likely hope that the move gives Love Island USA a fresh start.
After a much-talked-about season 2, the hype was high for Love Island USA season 3. But while there was a slight uptick in ratings, fans called it a step down in quality. The most beloved couples didn't even make it to the finale. Frontrunners Josh Goldstein and Shannon St. Clair left the series due to a family tragedy, while fan-favorites Cinco and Cash were sent home separately. This left Korey Gandy and Olivia Kaiser, a couple many were skeptical of, as the winners. Many complained that the public vote had no influence, as the islanders decided who to send home in almost every elimination ceremony. Additionally, another common complaint was about the confusing number of extras posted exclusively to Paramount+.
Hopefully, fans will find the Peacock setup more satisfying and easier to navigate. While they wait for Love Island USA to return, viewers can check out the UK original. Love Island season 8 premiered Monday, June 6, on ITV. Episodes will stream on Hulu two weeks after initially airing in the UK.
Love Island USA season 4 premieres July 19 on Peacock.
Sources: Love Island USA/Instagram, Love Island USA/Instagram