Fans eagerly awaiting sparks, drama, and romance in the Love Island: All Stars villa will have to wait a little longer.
The third series, where past Islanders reunite for a second chance at love and heart-throbbing connections, was set to kick off on Monday, January 12.
Returning faces like Millie Court and Tommy Bradley were poised to step back into the sun-soaked villa, ready for new romances and emotional twists.
However, passionate hearts had to take a back seat as raging wildfires near the South African villa forced an evacuation, delaying filming indefinitely. ITV confirmed that cast and crew were safely moved to hotels, with production halted while authorities assess the situation.
“Following a production evacuation due to ongoing wildfires in the area, our assessment indicates filming must be postponed,” ITV stated. “The health and safety of our cast and crew remains our highest priority. The series will be rescheduled, with a new premiere date to be announced.”
South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape have been battered by strong winds, fueling flames that have required intervention from the South African Air Force to control multiple fire incidents.
The series brings together 12 returning contestants, including two former winners Jess Harding (25) and Millie Court (29) as well as Jack Keating (26), son of Irish singer Ronan Keating.
Other familiar faces set to reignite sparks include Belle Hassan, Charlie Frederick, Ciaran Davies, Helena Ford, Leanne Amaning, Sean Stone, Shaq Muhammad, Tommy Bradley, and Whitney Adebayo.
Originally scheduled to run six weeks instead of the usual five, production now faces the challenge of rescheduling while maintaining the villa’s secrecy.
ITV has yet to announce a new premiere date, leaving fans eagerly anticipating which romantic connections will blossom next.
Despite previous controversies including over 14,000 viewer complaints during Series 12 over bullying and abuse Love Island continues to captivate audiences, with last summer’s streams on ITVX up 9% year-on-year, drawing 2.6 million viewers for the first episode.
ITV emphasized that all participants undergo training on respectful behavior and identifying controlling or coercive dynamics to ensure romance thrives in a safe environment.
