MONTREAL — Quebecor Content today announced it has acquired ITV’s Love Island reality TV format, which has already been adapted in 18 countries, including the U.S., Australia and France.
The series will be produced by Productions Déferlantes, in collaboration with Quebecor Content, and will be shot on Spain’s Grand Canary Island.
The Love Island format features single men and women sharing an island villa, who pair up and try to become the viewing audience’s favourite to win the show’s grand prize. Filmed in almost real-time, the series allows viewers to influence the course of events via an app. Viewers can create unexpected twists (including during elimination ceremonies) and alter an activity on a couple’s schedule. Using the app, viewers vote to decide who ultimately gets to stay in the villa and win the grand prize.
“Love Island stands out from other romantic reality shows that we’ve seen so far, because it lets viewers play a key role in determining each contestant’s fate,” said Christine Maestracci, vice-president of acquisitions and international distribution at Quebecor Content, in a press release.
“We’re extremely pleased to collaborate with Quebecor Content on this major project. It’s an exciting challenge that we can’t wait to take on,” added Benoit Clermont from Productions Déferlantes.
Maarten Meijs, president of global entertainment at ITV Studios, added: “Despite the challenging times we all are in currently, it’s been a brilliant few weeks for our global hit format Love Island, with 5 new sales globally in 2020 and more to come. The show is still a massive success; it recently wrapped up several successful series in Europe and the US. Now, reaching Canada is fantastic news and we are very excited to work with Quebecor Content to bring this reality dating sensation to its audiences.”
CTV aired the second season of the U.S. version of Love Island in August and September.
