Love Island All Stars launch date revealed after South Africa wildfires delay

Love Island All Stars’ new launch date has finally been confirmed after wildfires delayed filming in South Africa.

The ITV2 matchmaking show’s line-up had already been unveiled ahead of its planned launch on Monday, January 12.

However, the premiere was postponed after wildfires near Cape Town forced an evacuation on health and safety grounds.

The show will now air on Thursday, January 15, at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX, with an additional episode scheduled for Saturday at 9pm on ITV2.

Severe fires have hit South Africa’s Western and Eastern Cape regions, with strong winds and high temperatures worsening conditions.

Emergency services said last week that progress had been made in containing the fires.

Maya Jama returns as host as a dozen former Love Islanders will re-enter the villa in a bid to find love again.

It’ll star several former contestants, including two winners – Jess Harding, 25, and Millie Court, 29 – along with series 12’s Tommy Bradley, 22, and Helena Ford, 29, who appeared on the original show this past summer.

They will be joined by the son of Irish popstar Ronan Keating, Jack Keating, who appeared on the eighth series of the show along with series 10 finalist Whitney Adebayo and series 11 islanders Ciaran Davies, 23 and Sean Stone, 26.

The All Stars line-up is completed with Charlie Frederick, 31, from series four; Belle Hassan, 27, of series five; Leanne Amaning, 28, from series six; and Shaq Muhammad, 27, from series nine.

At the height of last year’s series 12 of the main show, which drew 2.6 million viewers for its opening episode, ITV said streams on its ITVX service were up 9% year on year.

But the series also prompted more than 14,000 complaints from viewers, with allegations of bullying, abusive behaviour and misogyny, particularly linked to divisions between some of the women in the villa.