Love Island boss explains why show will remain the "number one dating show in the world"

Later this year, Love Island will mark 11 years on air as the reality series continues to generate conversation and buzz year in and year out – and there are no signs of it slowing down.

In addition to its regular summer run, the series is making a return this month with the third outing of Love Island: All Stars, featuring iconic Islanders across all seasons.

This year's line-up includes former winners Millie Court and Jess Harding and more recent stars Tommy Bradley and Helena Ford, all of whom are looking for love.

In a show that increasingly produces the same content, the producers are always looking to switch things up, in order for it to be as popular as it can.

"Our main focus is to keep the format fresh," creative director Mike Spencer-Hayter told RadioTimes.com and other press. "We are the number one dating show in the world. We still are, but we will also continue to be, because we have a fantastic team."

The Love Island format has been produced in over 20 different countries worldwide, with the US season continuing to break records for streamer Peacock. Just last year, the seventh season of Love Island USA saw 18.4 billion streaming minutes, making it the most watched original season of television on the platform.

And the UK series is proving the nation still want all the sun-soaked drama it provides, with 1.3 million viewers tuning in for the latest Love Island summer finale.

Spencer-Hayter continued: "We're constantly ripping up the whole book. I think, tactically, we will continue to change elements of the brilliant format to make it even better and stronger."

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The creative director noted that social media has also evolved alongside the show, adding that he and the team use social media conversation as their "fifth producer".

"Especially on the summer series. We're on 57 nights a year [and] we look at social media and we change and react to how people are thinking and feeling," he said.

"It's a great tool for us and it always has been. And I think, uniquely, Love Island has grown up with the growth of TikTok, Instagram, X, all of those platforms and we continue to use them to the show's advantage."

Love Island: All Stars returns on Monday 12th January at 9pm on ITV2.

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