Love Island WILL return this summer confirm ITV bosses

Love Island WILL return this summer: ITV confirm show bosses will work on ‘every contingency plan’ to ensure dating series goes ahead after being forced off-air by the pandemic 

Love Island will return to television screens this summer, ITV bosses have confirmed. 

The much-loved ITV2 programme will be back with a bang, with producers working on ‘every contingency plan’ to ensure this year’s series goes ahead. 

ITV said after releasing their bumper Spring schedule: ‘Love Island will return this summer. The team are working on every contingency plan manageable, so look out for more announcements on that very soon.’  

It’s back! Love Island will return to television screens this summer, ITV bosses have confirmed

It comes after sources claimed the Channel Island has been secured for filming this summer if production cannot take place in the show’s usual location of Mallorca due to the Covid pandemic. 

A source told The Mirror that bosses are hoping Jersey will be blessed with warm weather this summer should Love Island filming take place on the picturesque island.

They said: ‘The Channel Islands get plenty of sunshine so it makes sense to hold Love Island there if we can’t get back to Spain

‘Either way we’re going to put out a belting series. Viewers have missed Love Island for the whole of 2020 and they’re desperate to have it back. They’re going to love what we do, wherever we do it.’

A representative for Love Island declined to comment when contacted by MailOnline.  

Will it happen? Love Island bosses have reportedly chosen Jersey as a back-up location for the 2021 series amid concerns filming in Mallorca will be impossible due to the Covid pandemic

Will it happen? Love Island bosses have reportedly chosen Jersey as a back-up location for the 2021 series amid concerns filming in Mallorca will be impossible due to the Covid pandemic

Exciting: Sources claimed the Channel Island has been secured for filming this summer if production cannot take place in Mallorca due to the Covid pandemic

Exciting: Sources claimed the Channel Island has been secured for filming this summer if production cannot take place in Mallorca due to the Covid pandemic

This comes despite reports last month stating that Love Island bosses had been considering Devon and Cornwall as alternative filming locations.

A source told The Sun at the time: ‘As a precautionary measure, producers have looked at several UK sites to hold the series, so if travel restrictions remain strict they have a back-up plan.

‘Cornwall has been optioned, as well as Torquay, the Isles of Scilly and even Barry Island, where Gavin and Stacey was filmed.

‘ITV bosses are also worried about a fan backlash against the show if contestants are allowed to go away claiming work reasons but the rest of the country is still stuck at home.’

Concerns: Despite renewed hope that this year's Love Island could go ahead, Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive at ITV, admitted last month the show's future is still up in the air

Concerns: Despite renewed hope that this year’s Love Island could go ahead, Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive at ITV, admitted last month the show’s future is still up in the air 

Despite renewed hope that this year’s Love Island could go ahead, Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive at ITV, admitted last month the show’s future is still up in the air. 

Asked about whether the 2021 series will go ahead, she said: ‘I genuinely don’t know.’ 

As reported by The Sun, she added: ‘We will want to put Love Island on air because it’s been off air for a little while. We didn’t do it last summer.

‘We are looking at all our options at the moment. The pandemic makes it hard.’

The show debuted its first winter edition in January 2020, just as the global health crisis began ramping up.

Widespread illness, restricted travel and social-distancing meant the production could not return in its usual summer slot in June.  

Last time in the villa: The show debuted its first winter edition, filmed in South Africa, in January 2020, just as the global health crisis began ramping up

Last time in the villa: The show debuted its first winter edition, filmed in South Africa, in January 2020, just as the global health crisis began ramping up