Love Island: CBS nabs rights to American version; when could it premiere?
Over the past few years the reality series has become an enormous hit over in Great Britain, turning its stars into instant celebrities with a show that combines elements of Big Brother, Bachelor in Paradise, and Jersey Shore. It airs throughout the week and has some heavy interactive elements to it. It’s an incredibly addictive format and now that we’ve learned that CBS has acquired it (with a series order in mind), they may finally have a companion to Big Brother that they’ve long been craving. While it’s far from confirmed as to when their version would air, or what it could even look like, it makes perfect sense to put it alongside their summertime reality staple and also air it multiple times a week. Remember that Big Brother was another format that originated overseas that has since found a huge following of its own in the US.
In a statement (per Deadline) confirming the acquisition, CBS’ head of alternative programming Sharon Vuong had the following to say:
“Love Island has been a massive success overseas … It’s currently seen, or about to premiere in several European countries as well as Australia, and we’re thrilled that ITV has partnered with us to bring their most successful show to American television. Having seen the reaction of audiences ‘across the pond’ and around the world to this most recent season, we expect American viewers will be captivated by this engaging format. Additionally, Love Island is more than a pop sensation; this series has generated compelling ‘sociological think pieces’ in major publications here and abroad.”
While we’re sure that there will be differences between the US and UK formats (there certainly is with Big Brother) the objective here is likely still going to be the same: Deliver a largely unstructured, story-based reality series that features a lot of drama and potentially a cash prize at the end.
Do you think that an American version of Love Island can work? Share below, and you can head over here to see some of the sort of contestants the UK version has.
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