How a single season of Love Island became the franchise's highest-rated era
In short: In 2019, Love Island reached a massive viewership peak, averaging 5.61 million viewers per episode. This surge in popularity came alongside significant shifts in production, including new mental health safeguards and a change in how viewers consumed weekly highlights.
The fifth series of Love Island, which aired on ITV2 from 3 June 2019 to 29 July 2019, marked a turning point for the franchise. It became the highest-rated series ever, reaching a series average of 5.61 million viewers—an increase of 1.65 million compared to the 2018 series. This period also saw a structural change in programming; the previous 'Weekly Hotlist' was replaced by 'Love Island: Unseen Bits'.
The production faced intense scrutiny regarding contestant welfare following the suicides of former participants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis. In response, ITV issued a statement on 22 May 2019 outlining enhanced duty of care processes. This included offering counseling to all contestants to support their mental welfare before, during, and after the series.
The season was also marked by various controversies and departures. On 11 June 2019, Sherif Lanre was removed from the villa for breaking rules, an exit that was not broadcast on screen. On 9 July 2019, Amy Hart exited the villa citing personal matters following her rejection by Curtis, her 'half boyfriend'. The series ultimately concluded on 29 July 2019 with Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea winning the final vote with 48.82% of the support, ahead of runners-up Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury.
The series also saw the final appearances of host Caroline Flack, who had presented the show since its 2015 revival. Following her assault charge, it was announced in December that she would not return for subsequent seasons.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Love Island (2015 TV series) series 5
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