Love Island, Survivor, Ex on the Beach … every reality TV show worth its salt utilises splendid isolation. Why does the setting work so well?
It’s that time of year again: heads are being turned, Prettylittlething.com endorsement deals chased, and we’re hearing the phrase “It is what it is” ad nauseam. That’s right: with sky-high ratings and no shortage of drama, this is Love Island’s summer – and we’re all just living in it.
But over and above the shenanigans at ITV’s Mallorcan villa, reality television seems to be obsessed with islands at the moment. This month, season two of FBoy Island – a bizarre show where women choose between men who describe themselves as “nice guys” and those who identify as womanising “fuck boys” – arrives on HBO Max. Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle – a dating show that transports 10 horny singles to a tropical paradise and bans them from kissing or touching each other – dropped its third season in January. MTV’s Ex on the Beach, which reunites fiery contestants from British reality shows with their exes, has filmed 12 seasons on islands including Crete, Koh Samui, Bali and Gran Canaria.
