ITV Confirms Love Island's Global Expansion with Major Croatian Deal
ITV bosses have announced a significant international agreement just weeks before the Love Island: All Stars final, solidifying the show's future and global reach. ITV Studios has closed a fresh deal with RTL Croatia for two unscripted formats: Love Island and Game of Chefs. This move marks Croatia as the 28th territory to commission the popular reality series, while Game of Chefs will debut in Croatia in Spring 2026 as its seventh international version.
Record-Breaking Streaming Figures for All Stars Series
Concurrently, the current UK series, Love Island: All Stars series three, has achieved impressive milestones. It has accumulated 53 million streams on ITVX and surpassed one billion social media impressions at its halfway stage. This launch represents ITV's biggest programme for the 16–34 demographic this year, highlighting its enduring appeal among younger audiences.
Executive Comments on the Strategic Partnership
Tom Clark, EVP Global Sales and Commercial Strategy at ITV Studios, stated: "This deal with RTL Croatia underlines the continued momentum behind Love Island as one of the world's most powerful reality brands, alongside the distinctive appeal of Game of Chefs. Both formats deliver premium entertainment with real audience impact, and Croatia is an exciting new market for them. We're looking forward to working closely with RTL Croatia to bring two bold, high-energy shows to viewers in 2026."
Tonko Weissmann, EVP of RTL Croatia, added: "RTL Croatia continues its commitment to bringing premium international content to local audiences. The acquisition of these formats marks a significant milestone in our strategy to strengthen our linear channels and Voyo streaming platform."
Global Success and Viewership Highlights
Love Island continues to demonstrate its global triumph with notable achievements:
- In the US, season seven of Love Island USA became Peacock's most-watched original season in history, generating 18.4 billion minutes streamed and ranking as the number one streaming original during its finale week.
- In the UK, series 12 delivered its largest final in three years with 2.4 million viewers, while total streams reached 173 million, an eight per cent increase year-on-year.
The third series of Love Island: All Stars was postponed last month due to wildfires in South Africa but has since resumed. Current favourites to win the 2026 edition are Zac Woodsworth and Millie Court. The show airs Sunday to Friday on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm, maintaining its prime-time slot and strong viewer engagement.
