I’m Begging ‘Love Island UK’ Fans to Give ‘Love Island USA’ A Chance

When it comes to the world of Love Island, everyone knows that the original franchise, Love Island UK, reigns supreme. But the real fans know it’s not the only version worth watching. Love Island Australia, for example, has had fans screaming, crying, and throwing up over betrayals and blowouts between the Kiwi and Aussie cast year after year. There are more than 20 other Love Island franchises from countries around the world you’ll need a lot of frequent flier miles (or a reliable VPN) to watch but one criminally underrated Love Island series is sitting in your own backyard. Love Island USA definitely started off on rocky footing with a subpar rainy villa, a forgettable host, and cringe cast members. I’ll never get back the minutes I spent trying to force myself to enjoy the Vegas season. But I’m happy to report with a better host, a bigger villa, and a whole bunch of Comcast money toward production (Peacock took over the series in the fourth season), Love Island USA has become a serious contender. With the highly anticipated season 6 on the way, we figured we’d do you a huge favor and fill you in on all the differences between Love Island USA vs UK so you know how to prepare.

Love Island USA and UK have different hosts but the same narrator

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Love Island UK has had three total hosts. The myth, the icon, the legend, Caroline Flack was the longstanding host of the series for five seasons until her death by suicide in 2020. Afterward, there were an interim few seasons hosted by Laura Whitemore, girlfriend of Iain Sterling (the narrator of both Love Islands). British personality Maya Jama then joined in season 9 to officially make The Villa her own. Though Maya hosts Love Island Games and Love Island Allstars which both air on Peacock, Love Island USA has never had the same host as its British counterpart. The first host was actress Arielle Vanderberg. Then Sarah Hyland AKA Haley Dunphy AKA Wells Adam’s wife, stepped in for the Peacock takeover for seasons 4 and 5. Love Island USA has hopefully settled into a dynasty era with Vanderpump Rules star, Broadway performer, and sandwich connoisseur Ariana Madix taking over as the latest host. Who knows love, heartbreak, and how to clap back at problematic attention hogs better than she does?

Love Island USA gives away more prize money

Image Credit: Peacock

Love Island UK offers the winning couple a 50-pound prize while USA boasts winnings of 100K. The USA version also has returned to a tradition started in the UK, where one lucky member of the winning couple is offered the chance to steal the entire pot instead of sharing it with their new love. After years of every couple unanimously picking to split the prize money, the UK dropped the empty twist. But if I know American reality stars like I think I do, there’s an actual genuine chance someone could pick love over money one day and THAT is why I sit down to watch strangers on television, folks.

The famous Love Island UK Villa is available to rent in Spain

Image Credit: Peacock

The Love Island USA shooting locations have struggled to compete with the iconic Mallorca home base used for the English series. With season 6, Peacock has recommitted to filming even Fiji but has promised an even more leveled-up “vibrant” villa that hopefully finally lives up to the international giant. Let’s hope they kept Soul Ties, though.

What is Casa Amor on Love Island?

Casa Amor arrivals in the UK are called bombshells. Love Island USA has pivoted to the far less chic title of “VIPs” for the group of late arrivals that infiltrate the house to shake up the established relationships halfway through the season (even though they use the term bombshells throughout the rest of the process). While the wording might be cheesy, season 5’s Casa Amor was the dramatic incestual must-watch explosion of multiple relationships that harkened back to the early days of Love Island UK when the twist was originally introduced. Don’t believe me? Just watch.

Love Island UK is a platform to stardom

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Since watching Love Island is a national pastime in England, getting far in the process is a huge potential platform for UK stars, especially the winners. Beyond gaining bank-making brand deals the former normies become a household name overnight with everyone from the Prime Minister to their entire extended family tuning in and sharing opinions online. Stars like Olivia Jade Attwood and Amber Davies have gone on to be mega television producer-hosts or West End stars. The closest version of young reality TV stars making headlines to that degree in the US is probably Jersey Shore or The Kardashians… take that as you will.

There actually are international people with sexy accents on Love Island USA

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While you won’t frequently be swooning over the charming accents and foreign slang from Bricklayers from Swansea, last year Scott from Love Island UK made a delicious surprise run on the US series, in addition to a few other European cast members who live in the US. Aside from that, the American guys may not have cheeky banter, but they are incredibly entertaining to watch, even if we’re laughing at them and not with them sometimes. Trust me, it took a while to get used to following along with fuckboys I’d avoid at the local bar, as opposed to fuckboys I could fantasize about meeting under Big Ben. But the relationship drama that comes out of it is just as juicy all the same.