Love Island’s winter start date hinted as January 16

Sources have told The Sun that producers are hoping to make fans smile in the New Year by opening the villa doors on what is said to be the most depressing day of the year.

“Love Island bosses have planned for the show to start on Blue Monday – which is bound to give fans a massive lift on such a gloomy day,” they said.

“This year’s contestants will be flown out to South Africa earlier in January and will start filming for the first episode the day before.

“The grand finale will take place eight weeks later on March 13. The villa is absolutely amazing, Maya is raring to go and this series’ contestants are looking to be the sexiest ever”.

Maya Jama was recently announced as the new host, stepping in after Irish star Laura Whitmore called it quits.

Her first go as the face of Love Island will be the upcoming winter series set in South Africa, with the massive villa said to be the ‘best’ yet.

There has only been one season of the winter show so far, airing in the months before the Covid-19 pandemic took hold in March 2020.

The show finally returned in July, with producers promising the winter series is going no where.

The debut winter version was won by loved-up couple Paige Turley and Finn Tapp who are still together.

Paul Mortimer, Director of Reality Commissioning and Controller of ITV2 previously said: “Love Island has once again proved itself to be the nation's favourite talking point across the summer, and we're always blown away by the show's ongoing impact and talkability amongst our younger audience.

“So, rather than just serving up a Summer of Love, we thought we'd make 2023 the Year of Love with two full series of the show.”

Announcing the double-whammy year of Love Island, Mike Spencer, Executive Producer at Lifted Entertainment, said: “After eight brilliant series, we are excited to be serving up two helpings of love in 2023 by kicking off in January at a stunning new villa in South Africa.”