Love Island bosses launching winter version filmed in South Africa after Christmas

ITV bosses are launching a Winter Love Island after this year’s viewing figures have shot through the roof.

Canny producers have decided to cash in on the money-making ITV2 machine and are currently crewing up for a winter version of the reality show, which will be filmed in South Africa using the same format.

It comes after ITV2 axed flop TV show Survival Of The Fittest last year following just one series.

They have instead decided to keep the successful reality formula simple.

The winter version of Love Island is set to be filmed after Christmas to fill in the gaping hole Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother left.

This year the first episode alone was seen by a record 5.9million on ITV2, PC, tablet and mobile, up 16 per cent on last year.

A well-placed telly source said: “After the flop of Survival of the Fittest producers want to keep the format simple and mop up the gaping hole Celebrity Big Brother left reality TV hungry audiences.

"Winter Love Island makes sense as fans adore the drama and love triangles and everyone wants to enjoy a bit of sun on screens in the cold winter months.

“It’s still in the very early stages and casting isn’t even close, but producers at ITV Studios and crew are definitely gearing up for it.”

Love Island, said to be worth £25million-a-year in advertising, has proved to be a cash cow for the channel and Uber Eats reportedly paid £5million to sponsor this year’s series - double what Superdrug paid in 2018.

Channel chief Carolyn McCall said: "Love Island is a phenomenon … that will be commercially fantastic for ITV."