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16 January 2020, 10:22
Love Island’s 2020 winter edition is finally underway, but how does it differ from the summer series?
Love Island’s winter series is officially part of our lives, with a fresh new cast to keep us glued to our TV screens throughout winter.
As well as new contestants, the winter edition takes place in a brand new location of South Africa, but that’s not the only difference between the 2020 winter show and the typical summer series.
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Despite some format differences on Love Island itself, Kem Cetinay and Arielle Free will be back hosting the Love Island: The Morning After podcast to give us a run-down on each evening's events.
In the meantime, here's what has changed for Love Island’s winter series...
According to Radio Times, winter Love Island was originally meant to be on for four weeks, but it has been extended to six weeks.
This is still two weeks shorter than the usual summer series which runs for a whopping eight weeks.
The biggest difference with the new series is, of course, the fact it’s taking place in South Africa instead of Mallorca.
By picking South Africa, producers are guaranteed the hot weather they want to keep the contestants in their swimwear, while Mallorca is no doubt a lot chillier and rainy.
Although there's a brand new location, Kem Cetinay and Arielle Free will still be on hand each morning to give us the lowdown on Love Island: The Morning After podcast.
Due to the slightly shorter length of time Love Island is running, it may work out that there are fewer contestants this time around.
In the original line-up when the show launched on Sunday 12 January, there were five boys and seven girls – which is the way the series tends to begin.
Whether there'll be a Casa Amor stint is also yet to be confirmed, as this part of the show – where the girls and boys are separated for a few days – tends to bring in a load more contestants.
Casa Amor is always the most scandalous part of the much-loved series, providing plenty of hilarious discussion on the Love Island: The Morning After podcast, so we're keeping out fingers crossed for something similar in South Africa!
Laura Whitmore is hosting the first series of 2020, filling in for presenter of five years Caroline Flack after she announced she was stepping down from the show.
Caroline is thrilled it’s one of her good friends taking the forefront, as the pair have known one another for years and Laura is genuinely a huge fan of the ITV2 show.
As well as a brand new location, the huge new villa has been given some additional rooms to make things even juicier.
Contestants have some more options if they want to chat in private away from their co-stars, and there are also two hot tubs this time around.
The three-storey holiday home also boasts a dressing room for the boys, after producers felt the girls had a place to get ready but their partners didn’t.
There’s also the addition of the dog house, which contains the new pull-out bed in the living area for scorned contestants to flee to after a row.
Some islanders banished to the dog house might be joined by other contestants, but nothing will go un-analysed by seasoned Love Island gossip pros, Kem Cetinay and Arielle Free, who will be keeping a beady eye on the juicy action taking place in every episode so you don't miss a thing.
> For all the latest gossip from the Villa, download and subscribe to the official Love Island: The Morning After podcast. Available on Global Player, the Love Island App or ask Alexa to play the ‘Love Island Podcast’.