ITV has taken the dramatic decision to postpone the hotly anticipated launch of Love Island: All Stars after dangerous wildfires in South Africa forced a full-scale evacuation of the production.
Production Halted Amid Safety Crisis
The broadcaster confirmed on Saturday that the third series of the spin-off, hosted by Maya Jama, would not begin as planned on Monday evening at 9pm on ITV2. The decision came after an urgent assessment of the filming location in Franschhoek, South Africa, deemed it unsafe to continue.
An ITV spokesperson stated: ‘Further to a production evacuation owing to ongoing wildfires in the area, our assessment of the location site has concluded that filming will need to be postponed.’ They emphasised that ‘Health and safety is our greatest priority and will always come first’, confirming the transmission would be delayed until a date to be confirmed.
Last-Minute Evacuation Causes Scheduling Headache
The Sun had initially reported that filming scheduled for Saturday was cancelled as it was considered ‘too dangerous’ for host Maya Jama and the crew to be on site. A source revealed the production hoped to resume quickly, but acknowledged the significant disruption.
‘ITV will always put the welfare of the cast and crew above the show,’ the source said. ‘But this is a huge headache and will make everything a far closer call when it comes to getting enough footage in the can for Monday night’s launch show. Naturally, if the fire is still posing a risk the show will be pushed back again.’
This prediction has now come to pass, with the launch officially postponed indefinitely. It is currently unknown what will fill the vacant Monday night slot in ITV2's schedule.
All-Star Cast Left in Limbo
The series, which brings back famous former contestants for another shot at love and the £50,000 prize, had generated considerable excitement. Fans were particularly eager to see the return of series 7 winner Millie Court and Jack Keating, son of Boyzone singer Ronan Keating, from series 8.
The format mirrors the main show, with islanders coupling up and facing challenges in a luxury villa. However, their journey has now been put on hold indefinitely as the production team awaits the all-clear to safely return to the South African set.
ITV has not provided an update on when filming might resume, leaving both the all-star cast and eager viewers in a state of uncertainty.
