Goodbye, Love Island
Friday, 24 Nov 2006 17:08
Bianca Gascgoine won this year's series with Calum Best
ITV has announced that there will not be a third series of the reality TV show Love Island.
The format, an attempt to rival the dominance of Channel Four's Big Brother in the summer reality TV stakes, titillated viewers in 2005 in its original incarnation as Celebrity Love Island.
This year the antics of various couples, including the ultimately triumphant Bianca Gascgoine and Calum Best, struggled to compete against Big Brother, whose audience was approximately twice that of Love Island.
"I thought the show was terrifically made and produced and I have nothing but admiration for the people who made it," said Simon Shaps, ITV's director of television, explaining the decision.
"I just don't think the public appetite as evidenced by the second year numbers was strong enough for us to bring it back for a third year. In the end the numbers weren't strong enough," he said.
The Love Island finale netted an average of 3.8 million viewers, peaking at 4.4 million – 1.5 million less than last year.