Julia Majchrzak and Lorenzo Alessi were crowned winners of the latest UK series of Love Island, which ended on Monday. But as the 13th series wrapped up, fans, commentators and an ex-Islander told beat the show may have lost some of the romance that originally made it popular.
The debate comes as Love Island UK’s linear viewing figures have fallen from their 2019 peak, even though streaming and social media now play a bigger role in how audiences follow the franchise. The latest US edition has been gaining momentum, with Peacock saying its eighth series was the number one reality show in the United States for five weeks across all streaming platforms.
Why are some fans unhappy with the UK series?
Some fans say the latest UK series delivered drama but not enough genuine romance, leaving them unconvinced by the final couples. Content creator Sarel, who has 1.2m followers on TikTok and is known for her Love Island debriefs, said the biggest issue with the series was that “there hasn't been much love” between the couples, so she was not rooting for anyone at the end.
“there hasn't been much love”
She said viewers do tune in for the drama and the conversations the show creates, but she sees those as “added extras” and believes the romances should remain at the centre of the programme.
“I want somebody to fall in love. I love stories where we get the butterfly moments,”
She pointed to earlier couples such as Indiyah Polack and Dami Hope, as well as Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury, as examples of the emotional moments she wants to see.
“Where you had your Indiyah [Polack] and your Dami [Hope] when they ran to each other, or you had couples like Molly-Mae and Tommy.”
Sarel also believes the US version has been getting this balance right, because it feels like “everyone who is in there actually fancies one another” and there is “no box” they have to fit into.
How did the US edition become a bigger talking point?
The current US edition has been widely discussed after Peacock said it had reached the top spot among reality shows in the United States for five weeks across all streaming platforms. It also gained extra attention through celebrity support, with fans including Lizzo, Demi Lovato and Kesha sending messages to the finalists, while rapper Megan Thee Stallion has become a regular guest.
beat spoke to viewers and TV commentators to understand what the UK version might learn from the American one. A US celebrity fan base and strong social media engagement have helped the franchise become more visible beyond the villa.
American entertainment journalist Carly Thomas, who works for The Hollywood Reporter, said executive producers look for ways to “bring in the US audience”, including through social media, challenges and the islanders they cast.
“bring in the US audience”
She added that the US audience likes to relate to the people on screen.
“I think for the US audience, we love to just relate and connect with people,”
Thomas also said the US edition wants to push the contestants harder with more intense challenges, because viewers “love to see how far they'll go”.
“push the limits”
She gave the example of a challenge hosted by Megan Thee Stallion, in which islanders sat on cakes and threw them at one another.
“love to see how far they'll go”
The US version has not been free from criticism, however. Contestants in last year’s series faced relentless online bullying, prompting the show to issue a statement saying it does not tolerate “cyberbullying, harassment or hate”. The programme says it takes duty of care seriously.
What do the viewing figures show?
The 13th UK series ended on Monday with Julia Majchrzak and Lorenzo Alessi crowned the winners. ITV said the final drew an average audience of 1.1m viewers across all devices, including streaming, which marked a drop from last year’s overnight audience of 1.3m.
By comparison, series five in 2019 broke the show’s viewing records, with 6m people tuning in to an episode after Casa Amor, and that year’s final had the highest average audience to date.
ITV said the 2019 number was a consolidated figure reached once it “had received all the data post final” and said it does not yet have an “equitable” figure for series 13.
The broadcaster said more than 60% of its audience now engages with the show through streaming. It also said the latest series, together with companion programmes Aftersun and The Debrief, has had more than 180 million streams on ITVX.
How does Aaron Evans view the US success?
Aaron Evans, who won the first series of The Traitors UK and later appeared on series six of Love Island USA, said the American show’s success is helped by “fresh eyes” on the format and by the programme’s strong social media presence, which makes it “highly engaging”.
He is not the only one pointing to digital engagement. TikTok told Newsbeat that Love Island is “one of the most influential entertainment franchises” on the platform.
Its figures suggest the difference in conversation is significant. During the latest series, the hashtag #LoveIsland appeared in 123,000 posts in the UK, while #LoveIslandUK was used in 88,000. In the US, #LoveIsland appeared in 1.09m posts and #LoveIslandUSA was tagged in 502,000 posts.
That said, the US population is nearly five times the size of the UK’s.
Has the UK version become overproduced?
Love Island superfan Dami Amoo, who has watched every episode of the UK, US and All Stars editions, said the UK version is starting to feel “overproduced”.
“overproduced”
She said: “I do think it's been on a steady decline because they're trying to give us what we want, but then they're overdoing it and then they're taking away the classic [elements].”
“I do think it's been on a steady decline because they're trying to give us what we want, but then they're overdoing it and then they're taking away the classic [elements].”
Amoo, 28, said she thinks this may be connected to budget constraints. She said she missed the islanders going on more exciting dates and taking part in “fun activities or games” that reveal more of their personalities.
She also said the investment in the US version is visible, especially because it aired almost simultaneously with the latest UK series.
“They've invested so much into the props, the games and all of these brands are part of the actual production,”
“Whereas the UK version, it seems like they're just on an island somewhere just doing it on their own.”
“You don't get a lot of hype, we don't get British celebrities contributing to the discussions.”
