The search for The One continues! As viewers prepare for season 8 of Love Island U.K., the competition series is looking ahead at its lasting impact on fans and contestants.
Since its debut in 2002, Love Island U.K. introduced the idea of a group of people being isolated in a villa while having to pair off in order to stay on the show.
During season 8, the newcomers will be staying in Mallorca, Spain, as they search for a romantic connection. Their efforts will determine who audience members vote to keep on the show, with the winning couple walking away with £50,000 which they can split with one another or steal for themselves.
Ahead of the premiere, executive producer Mike Spencer revealed that Love Island U.K. will have its contestants wearing secondhand clothes amid online backlash. “We are thrilled to be pairing up with eBay this year as our pre-loved fashion partner. As a show we strive to be a more eco-friendly production with more focus on ways in which we can visibly show this on screen,” he said in a press release in May 2022.
Spencer continued: “This partnership will see our Islanders get to dive into the shared wardrobes and help themselves to some incredible pre-loved clothes sourced from eBay. We aim to inspire our demographic and show that there are incredible finds to be had and how sharing is, in some small way, caring.”
The decision comes after the show was previously called out for promoting fast fashion. After season 7, sustainable fashion advocate and former contestant Brett Staniland questioned the way Love Island U.K. prioritized environmentalism with its wardrobe.
“Before I entered the villa, I was offered £500 to spend with the show’s sponsor. Once I was inside, I was delivered duffel bags full of free clothes every three or four days, which I also declined,” he claimed in an interview with Vogue Business in May 2022. “It was mind blowing to see so many clothes worn once and then discarded. The show is symbiotic with fast fashion.”
Staniland added: “I would love to see more sustainably minded contestants on the show to take this progress further. Maybe the winner will become a brand ambassador for Ebay instead of Boohoo.”
Scroll down for everything to know about season 8 of Love Island U.K.: