Love Island 2020: 19 facts and secrets about the reality series you probably never knew

1. Everything you need to know about Love Island...

Love Island is almost back, baby! But how much do you actually know about the behind-the-scenes goings on in the villa? Did you know that the islanders don't cook their own dinner? Did you know that there's a stash of complimentary condoms? And free makeup? Here's everything you need to know about the reality series.

2. Where is the Love Island villa located?

The actual villa is in Mallorca, just outside the town of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar on the island’s east coast. It’s also at the top of a very steep hill so no one can spy or pap the islanders from outside the grounds of the villa. When the show has finished, you can also actually rent the villa for your own holiday.

3. How long is Love Island on for?

There’s no official word on how long Love Island will last for but it looks like it'll be another eight weeks of nothing but banter in the sun. Season 2 lasted around 6 weeks while season 3 and 4 went for a full 8 weeks. Expect season 5 to take you well into the summer months.

4. How do you audition for Love Island?

Believe it or not, the Islanders actually have to go through a series of auditions before they make it into the villa. The audition process consists of a form where contestants fill out their bad habits, likes and dislikes and their taste in girls/guys. They will also have to send an audition video. Around 1000 applicants who make it through to the final rounds will then be interviewed by the producers. Over 150,000 people applied to be on 2018's show.

5. How much do the Love Island contestants get paid?

Believe it or not, the Islanders actually DO get paid to be on the show - but it’s not as much as you would think. A source told The Sun: "All the Islanders are getting £200-a-week to be on the show. If you break it down to how many hours they're filming every day it's absolutely nothing!” According to The Daily Star, 2019's Islanders will receive £250 per week to appear on the show. Not bad for eight weeks of free food, free sun and banter.

6. Do the Love Island contestants actually have sex?

It’s no secret that many of the Islanders have sex in the villa but it’s never *actually* shown on TV. In 2018, a new set of sex rules were laid down ahead of the launch. There is a ban on masturbation, a ban on full nudity and restrictions in place should an Islander engage in sex with someone who is drunk. Islanders are also made to take full STI checks before entering the villa. There’s also a councillor on set at all times should the contestants ever want to talk.

7. Love Island have their own branded condoms

We bet you've been wondering - do the islanders bring their own condoms into the villa or are they supplied with them? Well, it turns out they are supplied with Love Island branded condoms - as revealed by former Islander Sophie Gradon. There's a supply of around 200 of them for the islanders to use during their stay.

8. Is there an alcohol limit on Love Island?

There’s been a lot of chatter recently about how much alcohol the Islanders are allowed to consume during their time in the villa. Season 2 Islander Kady McDermott told Cosmo that they were only allowed two glasses a night. Producers have since confirmed that there is no drink limit, although they do keep an eye on the alcohol consumption in general.

9. Where do the Love Island contestants get their clothes from?

As we all know, Islanders bring their own suitcases but they’re not allowed to wear branded clothing. They are also given an allowance before entering the villa. In the first episode of season 5, the girls are all wearing bikinis from online brand I Saw It First, who is the main sponsor for 2019. Most of the clothes will likely be from there, while Caroline Flack is known to wear some more high end designer looks. Her denim dress in episode 1 was from Christopher Kane.

10. How many cameras are there in the Love Island villa?

There are around 69 camera in the villa. Most of the are attached to the walls and are controlled by people in the control room while the ones around the pool are operated by camera men. As we know, the cameras are filming 24/7 and the contestants also have to wear their microphone packs at all times.

11. Are Love Islanders allowed phones?

Each Islander has a phone but it's not their personal phone. They cannot make any calls or texts to the outside world nor are they allowed to check Twitter to see what the memes are saying. The Islanders can only be contacted by the production team via text or phone calls. They can also text each other and take selfies during their stay in the villa.

12. Who sends the texts to the Love Island contestants?

I’VE GOT A TEXT! Those infamous texts are all sent from the gallery control room and it’s the producers who are the ones who decide whose lives to ruin each week.

13. Where can you get the Love Island water bottles from?

Any true Love Island fan will know how iconic those water bottles are. The bottles are given to the Islanders to encourage them to drink more water during the hot days under the sun. You can actually buy the exact water bottle with your own name on it on the Love Island store - loveislandshop.co.uk

14. Where is Love Island's Casa Amor located?

Casa Amor was the huge villa that the boys were whisked away to in the second season. It was recently put up for sale but if you wanted to buy it, it’ll set you back a whopping £2,551,654 (€2,900,000).

15. Will Love Island UK and the Love Island Australia ever merge?

In 2018, the Australian version of Love Island was happening at the exact same time as the UK version, and in the exact same place. Fans of the show have been speculating over whether or not the two versions of the show will merge during a task and end up swapping villas. So far, none of those shenanigans have happened, but never say never!

16. Do the Love Island contestants cook their own dinner?

Ever wondered why you don’t see the Islanders eat dinner on the show? That’s because it’s cooked for them by a team of caterers. The islanders make their own breakfast and lunch but everything else is done for them, which is why it's never shown on TV.

17. Do the Love Island contestants know each other in real life?

There’s been a bit of speculation about whether or not some of the contestants know each other outside of the villa. In some situations, that might be true but producers got to extreme lengths to make sure the contestants are kept apart until the beginning of the show. They are flown in on different flights and stay in different hotels. They each have their own personal chaperone too who makes sure they don’t contact anyone back at home before the show starts.

Love Island 2020 filmed villa south africa

18. Where is winter Love Island 2020 filmed?

Love Island's 2020 winter series is filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, instead of Mallorca, Spain. However, the exact location is being kept under wraps to prevent any security risks. The new three-story villa boasts an incredibly spacious bathroom, a "dog house" pull-out bed near the front door and the boys will have their own dressing room for the first time.

19. What channel is Love Island on? How can I watch it live on the ITV hub?

You can watch Love Island on ITV2. The show has been on the channel since it launched in 2015, despite rumours it would move to the main ITV channel. If you don't have a TV or are abroad, you can watch Love Island live on the ITV hub (https://www.itv.com/hub/itv2).