Love Island 2021 start date: Contestants, host and locations

It comes after an ITV boss spoke out on Love Island 2021 location. Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Amanda Stavri revealed: “I think there’s something about the Mediterranean sun that we all love and the sort of villa vibe and I think it’s a place that our contestants go on holiday which I think makes it very nice because it’s relatable for them."

Stavri also promised a diverse Love Island 2021 line-up, but said including gay contestants presented “a logistical difficulty.”

"In terms of gay Islanders, I think the main challenge is regarding the format of Love Island. There’s a sort of logistical difficulty, because although Islanders don’t have to be 100 per cent straight, the format must sort of give [the] Islanders an equal choice when coupling up," she explained.

This year a large proportion of production for Love Island 2021 is being moved to the UK, following the pandemic.

Nevertheless, we're told this year's show will be the Love Island viewers "know and love" with Stavri adding: "We’ve been waiting a long time. Our focus has been just to get the series back on air and we want to give the viewers the Love Island they know and love! There will be some unexpected twists and turns of course along the way. But we’re going have to wait to see how things play out because we’re all sort of reactive to what is happening within the villa.”

With the trailer now out, and a return date looming, there's been lots of rumours about the Love Island 2021 contestants, with Gordon Ramsay's daughter Holly tipped to be entering the villa along with a NHS doctor, and a bevy of "blue tick", verified, influencers.

As we wait for the series to return – and all the goss that comes with it – here's everything we know so far about Love Island Island 2021, and when we're likely to see it back on air.

When does Love Island start?

CONFIRMED: ITV’s Managing Director of Media and Entertainment Kevin Lygo recently announced the channel's flagship reality show would be part of 2021's spring line-up.

It's been reported the show will be heading to ITV2 by June 28th, although ITV are yet to confirm the exact release date.

The show usually starts early June, so we'd take an educated guess you'll see Love Island return in the next few weeks. It's thought the series could air a little later this year.

The news will come as a relief to fans as there had previously been doubt over whether the show could safely return after it was put on hold last year due to the pandemic.

Fortunately, it appears that a plan of action has been worked out, with the network sticking to its original plan of bring back the summer edition of Love Island this year.

ITV told RadioTimes.com back in June 2020: “Love Island UK will return bigger and better than ever with an extended run in summer 2021.”

That said, there's still a lot we don't know about this new series, including the full line-up of contestants and the location of this year's villa, as travel restrictions may necessitate a home-based series (as was the case with last year's I'm A Celebrity).

On the topic of a UK-based series, narrator Iain Stirling jokingly told Metro: "It could be quite amusing seeing Love Island contestants embracing the beaches of Bognor Regis at some point.

"When they can’t eat their dinner because seagulls are taking it off the plate… it could mix it up."

Who are the Love Island 2021 contestants?

The official starting line-up hasn't been confirmed just yet, but that doesn't mean there haven't been talks about who might enter the villa.

So far, a junior doctor named Toluwa Adepeju has been rumoured to be appearing on the show, along with boxer Harry Benn, fire-eater Alexis Bailey, 21, 23-year-old James Price who was previously romantically linked to 2019 contestant Lucie Donlan and Gordon Ramsay's 21-year-old daughter Holly.

ITV commissioner Amanda Stavri told RadioTimes.com that the casting team have already met with over 1000 applicants and the starting line-up and bombshells are currently being decided.

“There’s been more applications than ever. They’ve whittled it down and we’re all very pleased. We’ve got a big sort of pool at the moment and we need to sort of work out who to put in the opening line-up and who sort of to hold back, you know as a bombshell – we need the bombshells!” she said.

How long will the new series of Love Island be?

It’s currently unknown how long the series will run for, but it could be anything upwards of six to eight weeks, given how long previous instalments have been.

RadioTimes.com understands the current uncertainty has prompted producers to concentrate on a bumper series in the summer, rather than two across 2021.

Why was Love Island cancelled?

Unfortunately, Love Island's previous summer series was cancelled on account of the coronavirus pandemic, as travel restrictions and social distancing meant a dating show abroad wasn't feasible.

Director of Television at ITV, Kevin Lygo, made the announcement, explaining there was simply no way it could go ahead given the current UK lockdown.

He said in a statement: “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.

“In the meantime, Love Island fans can still enjoy all six series of Love Island on BritBox.”

How can you apply for Love Island?

Applications for the summer series are currently open and will remain open until a closing date has been confirmed.

If you wish to put yourself forward for series seven, fill out the official application form here.

Who will host the next Love Island?

After a successful stint on the most recent winter series, Laura Whitmore is expected to return to host the summer version, alongside her boyfriend Iain Stirling - who provides the show's famous voiceover.

Where will the next Love Island be filmed?

It's looking very likely the show will be heading back to Mallorca this year.

While ITV are yet to make any announcements about the 2021 location, the Mallorcan villa was recently pictured being refurbished and when RadioTimes.com asked ITV commissioner Amanda Stavri about it, she said: "We haven’t announced anything officially but Mallorca is very much the home of Love Island."

She added:"I can’t confirm anything 100 per cent at this stage but it will definitely be the Love Island viewers know and love.”

As for whether producers considered any other locations for the show, Stavri said: “We did look into some back up plans but we were all very much focused on making it happen in Mallorca, which is where it belongs quite frankly.”

In March 2021, The Sun reported filming for Love Island would indeed take place in Mallorca with increased coronavirus measures and mental health checks.

In the previous winter series, singletons were whisked away to sunny South Africa, however, the summer edition has historically unfolded at a luxury villa in Mallorca.

At this stage, we can't entirely rule out that Love Island will instead take place in the UK this year, but that remains unconfirmed at the time of writing.

Love Island 2021 trailer

ITV recently released an official trailer for the seventh series, where Iain Stirling can be heard telling a crowd of young people: "This is not a drill!"

You can watch the full clip below!

Love Island will return to ITV2 in June. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.