In case you’ve been wondering, yes, Love Island (Virgin Media Two, 9pm) is still running, and no, it hasn’t changed much. As has been the case since the dawn of recorded history, the ITV fake-tan fest – airing on Virgin Media in Ireland – continues to ship tattooed/swimsuit-clad contestants to Mallorca, where they flirt, fall out, and stuff their banter with words such as “the ick” and “graft”. In a world buffeted by uncertainty, it is a bronzed beacon of stability.
With little reason to change, ITV has kept tweaking to a minimum as season 11 gets under way. The villa has had minor a do-over – the colour scheme is even more blindingly bright than previously, and there’s a new “cosy” hot tub in the basement. But if all roads lead to Mallorca, returning host Maya Jama is still trying to find her way.
The series will be forever overshadowed by its tragic association with the late Caroline Flack , while for Irish viewers, the presence of Co Wicklow’s Laura Whitmore as presenter was (arguably) an additional reason to tune in. Jama, who took over from Whitmore, last year, brings a different vibe in that she is closer in age to the contestants. However, she has yet to make franchise her own and is a peripheral presence in a dreary launch episode, in which the six female and six male contestants are teamed up after ranking each other on girlfriend /boyfriend potential.
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