The return of Love Island: All Stars to ITV2 has reportedly stumbled at the starting line, with overnight viewing figures hitting what is believed to be an all-time low for the franchise.
A Dramatic Drop in Overnight Audience
The new series, which brings back former contestants for another shot at romance, finally launched on Thursday, 16 January 2026, after a three-day postponement. The delay was caused by safety concerns due to wildfires near the filming location in South Africa, forcing an evacuation of production.
However, the disrupted schedule appears to have impacted initial interest significantly. According to overnight data highlighted by the TV social media account SUPERTV, the premiere was watched by just 490,000 viewers.
This figure represents less than half the audience for the launch of the previous All Stars series and is a fraction of the record 3.3 million who tuned in for the series five launch. Last year's summer series debuted to around one million viewers.
ITV Points to Streaming Strength
In response to the reported ratings slump, an ITV spokesperson emphasised that the overnight numbers do not reflect the full picture. They stated the figures are not inclusive of views on ITVX or YouTube, where the episode was also available.
The broadcaster pointed to the broader success of the franchise on its streaming platform, noting that Love Island series have amassed over 2 billion streams on ITVX to date. This suggests a continuing shift in how audiences, particularly younger demographics, consume the popular reality show.
Villa Drama Fails to Boost Initial Numbers
Despite the low ratings, the episode delivered the dramatic content viewers expect. Hosted as usual by Maya Jama, the launch saw the arrival of late bombshell Scott van-der-Sluis.
The 25-year-old immediately stirred controversy by launching a verbal attack on fellow Islander Sean Stone, telling him he was "one of the worst Islanders I've ever seen." The confrontation left some viewers uncomfortable, with social media users criticising Scott's "bully vibes" and "vile" behaviour.
The apparent preference for the main civilian version of Love Island was highlighted last summer, when its finale attracted 1.3 million viewers—a significant increase on the All Stars finale earlier in the year.
Love Island: All Stars continues weeknights at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
