Love Island “won’t be as manipulative as Big Brother” says Caroline Flack
“We’re trying to create romance, not arguments,” says the beach-based presenter
Sure, it's essentially a bunch of people living in a house under the gaze of numerous TV cameras, but ITV2's Mallorca-based dating show Love Island isn’t simply Big Brother abroad, insists host Caroline Flack.
“It’s not Big Brother. I don’t think it’s going to be as manipulative as Big Brother,” Flack told RadioTimes.com. “We’re trying to create romance, not arguments. That’s the difference. We don’t want there to be loads of animosity and tension.
“We want people to find love and that’s the aim. At the end of it, you’re going to get these winners and you can’t fake love,” she added – although she admits some contestants may be hoping for “nightly” rather than long-term love.
The singletons will all head into the villa together, where it’s hoped various dates and activities will spark romance. Viewers can then come along and mix everything up by voting wannabe Lotharios off the show. So a good bit of “love tension” is what Flack’s after.
“It’s a love show, it’s not just a reality show where everyone’s shoved inside a house and left to get on with it,” she explained. “We’re not trying to find the craziest car crash moment to make it all negative and nasty. It’s about love. Our essential thing is the heart.”
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It doesn’t look like there’ll be too many unexpected surprises for the contestants either. I imagined the show might look to get a bit cheeky, send a contestant back in to cause a rift or maybe dig out someone’s ex to really stir the pot (not unlike a certain MTV show, Ex on the Beach). But Flack dashed that idea.
“We’re not going to have exes coming in. It’s brand new people, looking at brand new relationships. We want love.”
“I don’t want nastiness,” Flack added. “No bullying or anything like that, I don’t like that.”
Then again, the beach-based presenter has already spotted one Love Islander who could potentially cause mischief.
“There’s one guy who’s possibly the biggest player that I’ve ever known on this earth. But he’s so handsome, you think, ‘Oh, no, this is a disaster waiting to happen.’”
Love Island comes to ITV2 on 7th June
