TV & Film
ITV launches new ‘middle-aged Love Island’ and they’re looking for contestants
Are you a single parent on the wrong side of 30 who is ready to mingle?
ITV bosses are on the hunt for ‘vibrant single parents’ who are looking for love to join a new series.
The new show, titled ‘The Romance Retreat’, will see a similar set up as Love Island, with contestants staying in a luxury villa on the quest to find themselves that special someone.
Giving hopefuls a glimpse of the swanky pad, producers gave a sneak peak of the villa of love but have not yet mentioned its location.
The casting announcement for the show read: “This is the only dating show where single parents can search for love, by spending time in a luxury retreat, where all the parents have been nominated by their grown up children.”
The deadline to nominate your mum or dad to find love in this paradise is on Friday March 31st 2023 at 23:59pm.
The current series of Love Island dropped on January 16th with new host and radio DJ Maya Jama, with contestants competing for love in a South African hideaway.
Maya took over as host of the show from Laura Whitmore, who fronted the hit ITV show after the tragic death of her friend and original host Caroline Flack.
Sharing the news on Instagram, mum-of-one Whitmore posted: “Some news! I won’t be hosting the next series of Love Island. I hope I did you proud, Caroline.”
But the new season didn’t get off to the best start, with fans noticing a few glitches during the opening episode.
The first hiccup occurred as this year’s batch of contestants were introduced, with Manchester PE teacher Kai Fagan’s big moment interrupted as technical issues caused viewers’ screens to go blank and display only the ITV logo.
Fans took to social media during the awkward moment, with one saying: “Am I the only one having severe technical issues? I’m just trying to watch Love island in peace but Virgin Media has decided to mash everything up.”
Another said: “ITV don’t know how to handle Maya Jama’s presence on telly, that’s why it’s glitching.” And a third posted: “I’m fine….I just think it’s funny how the ads don’t glitch. But do you ITV. Do you?”
The steamy series will continue on ITV2 from 9pm tonight.