How romps and same-sex snogs lured Brits to Love Island USA – as reason why UK stars are letting down fans exposed
AT first glance, they are 100 per cent the same type on paper.
Both feature a curated collection of hot twentysomethings cavorting in exotic climes and taking trips to Casa Amor.
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And both have funnyman Iain Stirling narrating the action.
But while season 12 of the UK's Love Island is still just warming up, our American friends are picking up the pace.
Yes, Love Island USA is on fire, stirring up the kind of sexy content that would make Bonnie Blue blush.
And homegrown fans are following its every kinky move on social media before it is expected to stream on ITVX in August, where previous seasons are also available.
So far, two weeks into the show, which takes place in Fiji, there has been a dominatrix challenge, where the girls tied up the boys and teased them while wearing eye-watering latex before they returned the favour.
Huda and Jeremiah were the couple to beat …before the public broke them up in a cruel twist that saw Huda have a tsunami-like teary tantrum
There has also been the series' first girl-on-girl snog, between contestants Cierra and Chelley, which swiftly went viral online and brought tears to the eyes of one of the boys.
An errant birth control coil has been accidentally left on the floor.
And one couple, Huda and Jeremiah, have had sex while their fellow islanders slept soundly nearby.
They became the pair to beat until the public broke them up in a cruel twist that saw Huda have a tsunami-like teary tantrum.
To that end, long-time fans on both sides of the Pond are asking: What the hell happened to Love Island UK?
Love Island USA fans think Taylor 'isn't really into' Olandria after spotting 'confusing' sign during kiss
And why is it nowhere near as juicy as the sexploits of the US?
Love Island, which began as a celebrity special in 2005 before rebooting in 2015, is a British institution.
Hot and heavy
It has been a global smash and has launched reality stars with international fanbases, including Ekin-Su Culculoglu, Maura Higgins and Olivia Attwood.
Our American friends duly set about launching their own series, which kicked off in 2019.
At first, the response was tepid as it faded among the host of other reality shows populating American TV.
But over the past few years, it has started to gain traction, coinciding with the decision to enlist our own Iain Stirling as the sardonic voice narrating the show.
Last year, US reality superstar Ariana Madix took over as host.
She may not be a household name in the UK, but over in the States, she is the TV star on everyone's lips thanks to her own turn on Vanderpump Rules, the first spin-off from The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills.
During her 11 years on the show, Ariana was blindsided when it emerged that her long-term partner Tom Sandoval had been cheating on her with her best friend, prompting national outrage and the term 'Scandoval' to enter the language.
In the aftermath, Ariana became one of America's most cherished stars, and her own personal drama makes her presence on Love Island USA even juicier.
We may have Maya Jama hosting the UK's version in the Majorca villa, but she has not experienced quite so much public-facing heartbreak as her counterpart.
That is good news for her, of course, but bad news for fans craving juicy drama.
As for what makes this year's British version a relatively damp squib in comparison, let's remember how things used to be.
Back in the day, Love Island's night- time activity was hot, heavy and unbridled.
In season one, we famously saw Hannah Elizabeth and Jon Clark have sex in the communal bedroom, 'christening the villa' in the process.
Then, in season two, beauty queen Zara Holland paid a high price for getting steamy.
Her one-night stand with fellow islander Alex Bowen led to her being stripped of her Miss GB Crown.
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Alex had better luck, though.
Later in the series, he coupled up with Olivia Buckland (now Bowen — the pair are happily married with one son and a second child on the way).
Before they began their happily ever after, they reportedly romped in the villa a whopping 30 times. Kudos to whoever was counting.
As the early years progressed, the X-rated action continued.
Season three saw couples including Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes, Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay, and Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt all getting jiggy in the villa.
Naturally, we would only be shown intertwined feet, rocking bed posts and duvets rustling under the dimmed lights.
But the message was clear: There was action to match a double special of Body Heat and Eyes Wide Shut, providing water cooler moments we could not get enough of.
However, there has undoubtedly been a turning tide since Love Island's vintage years.
The show has been mired in controversy, with a backlash about its former duty-of-care procedures after contestants were subjected to hellish online trolling.
And questions were raised about whether producers did enough to prepare and protect stars for reality TV fame following the suicides of former contestants Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon, and former host Caroline Flack.
Obviously, it was vital that the show upped its duty of care, and ITV should be commended for prioritising contestants' welfare at all costs.
There is now a two-drink maximum and off days, where the contestants have a break from filming.
All contestants also see their social media paused while appearing on the show, but that means there simply is not the same engagement with fans and viewers can feel a tad removed from the action.
What's more, ten years since the first season aired, would-be contestants know what a meal ticket this is.
Sure, some people go in for love, but more go for the brand deals and the reality TV opportunities that beckon.
With so much more on the line — and PR reps queuing up to sign them — it is unlikely they will engage in the same kind of messy behaviour as their forebears.
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As 2018 Love Islander Wes Nelson said this week, there is far more self-restraint now.
He added: 'I feel like people are going on it now with every intention of doing business, which is natural and understandable, considering how many people have come off and done well.
'So, I think the main difference is now, it's like people care a bit more.
'I don't think we cared that much when we were in there. It was very silly, very silly.'
Football team orgy
On this year's season, which is now in its second week, we have seen some screenworthy moments.
There is the love triangle between Dejon, Meg and Malisha, the secret hideaway hook-up between Harry and Helena, and the time Harry admitted to having an orgy with an entire women's football team.
But, as for the action we have seen on screen, there has been just one kissing challenge.
With the US version amping up the challenges to be more explicit than ever, over in Majorca it is all a bit, well, 'meh'.
Alongside the lacklustre passion, there have been complaints that the casting process is a churning factory of influencer clones.
Ironically, the most different entry this year is Toni who, as an American herself, stands out from the rest of the Brit pack.
Meanwhile, this year's US version has been praised for its diversity, with a variety of races and sexualities accounted for.
They have even got Huda, who is mother to a four-year-old girl, which is helping to change the game.
Clearly, we are not alone in pining for the diversity and randy romance of the American variety.
A popular Reddit thread online takes that very topic to task, with one user writing: 'Love Island UK has just become 'influencer island' now that everyone tries to 'follow the formula' to win.'
Another weighed in: 'There's barely any diversity in the UK cast in regards to personality.
'Most of the girls are not problematic and don't have huge personalities and the boys are also pretty predictable. Whereas there was soooo much diversity in personality in the USA cast and a lot of big personalities.'
Funnily enough, while we have Toni importing a bit of Americanism into the Majorcan villa, over in Fiji they have had their own Brummie boy in the form of Charlie Georgiou.
The 27-year-old, who is originally from Birmingham, was a popular addition to the villa, before being eliminated earlier this week.
As things stand, it is too early to write off this year's homegrown offering for good.
Producers are certainly pulling out all the stops to make things as must-watch as possible.
But the way things are going, it looks like viewers will be wishing this series away, and anticipating the day that this year's Love Island USA finally lands on ITVX.
In the meantime, we have social media keeping us up to date with all the breasts, bums and bonking being exposed in Fiji.
And despite still watching the UK series, we are not putting all our eggs in one basket.
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Meanwhile in our villa...
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