Love Island Cancel 2021 Winter Series For Extended Summer Series Instead

15 June 2020, 16:17 | Updated: 15 June 2020, 16:24

Love Island winter 2021 has been axed. Picture: ITV / GETTY

Love Island 2021 will have an extended summer series instead of a winter and summer show.

After Love Island 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic, ITV bosses have apparently revealed plans to delay the next series for a whole year, until summer 2021.

A winter series in South Africa will reportedly no longer go ahead, in favour of an extended summer series next year.

A source told the tabloids: “ITV want Love Island to be a huge success so have decided to put all their energy into making next summer’s series a bumper run, and not trying to force a Winter version given the uncertainty in the television industry still at this point.

“January 2021 seems a long way off but the process would be starting imminently and with certain restrictions still in place they don’t want to approach anything half-baked.”

Love Island 2020 began with a winter series in South Africa. Picture: Rex

ITV2 already confirmed this year there wouldn’t be a summer series, instead airing season one of Love Island Australia which starts tonight (15 June).

An ITV spokesman said: "Love Island UK will return bigger and better than ever with an extended run in summer 2021."

At the start of May, ITV confirmed their 2020 series of Love Island would not be going ahead this summer.

The show typically begins filming at the beginning of June.

Laura Whitmore is the new host of Love Island. Picture: Rex

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Kevin Lygo, Director of Television at ITV said: "We have tried every which way to make Love Island this summer but logistically it's just not possible to produce it in a way that safeguards the wellbeing of everyone involved and that for us is the priority."

"In normal circumstances we would be preparing very soon to travel out to the location in Mallorca to get the villa ready but clearly that’s now out of the question."

"We are very sorry for fans of the show but making it safely is our prime concern and Love Island will be back stronger than ever in 2021."

There had been previous reports the show could be re-located to the UK in attempts to go ahead with the series that's received its highest ever number of applicants yet.

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