Love Island 2023: Maya Jama heads into ‘biggest villa yet’ in South Africa for ITV launch

Islanders are not the only new additions to Love Island this January, as Maya Jama takes over hosting duties from Laura Whitmore and the ‘biggest villa yet’ acts as the backdrop for the ITV dating show.

The winter series of Love Island, which airs tonight on 16 January, heads to a brand new home in Cape Town, South Africa for contestants such as Will Young, Lana Jenkins and Tanya Manhenga to hopefully find love and win the £50,000 cash prize.

While the main summer series takes place in Majorca, there has previously been one winter series that took place in 2020 in another Cape Town villa.

However, the first look at the new location, surrounded by vineyards and mountains including an impressive panoramic of South Africa’s landmark Table Mountain, proves that the 2023 season could be the largest yet.

Where is the Love Island 2023 villa?

ITV viewers will have the chance to watch the contestants living and loving it up in the villa based in the 25-acre estate of Ludus Magnus in Franschhoek, which is based near Cape Town.

As the estate is named after Rome’s ancient gladiator-school, hopefully we can see some islanders fighting for the one they love, after curveballs are thrown and bombshells arrive.

The Love Island villa, estimated to cost more than £5 million, boasts the same bright neon colour palette with illuminated quotes lining the walls of the bedroom, dressing room and outdoor kitchen.

What does the 2023 villa look like?

While most of the layout remains the same as previous seasons with the fire pit acting as a central point, the Ludus Magnus mansion also serves some impressive new additions to the ITV dating show.

The 17-bedroom property does include an Olympic swimming pool, a zip line, a 400m running track and a rugby pitch but will mainly showcase a treehouse for the contestants, a gigantic hideaway with its own pool and the return of the day beds, by ‘popular demand’.

Other places that the Love Islanders will call home include the outdoor gym, the balcony and two swimming pools with multiple sun loungers.

Fans were recently able to see a glimspe inside the villa based on exclusive access popular YouTuber Anastasia Kingsnorth managed to obtain.

How can I watch Love Island?

Contestants have already entered the South African villa, but the ITV series will air tonight [Monday, 16 January] from 9pm on ITV2, and is estimated to run until 13 March.

Fans can see a popular Tiktoker who has over one million followers, a model/actress who starred in Daniel Craig’s James Bond and the first partially sighted Love Islander, as well as Maya Jama acting as host.

The radio presenter, who previously shared her excitement to join the reality dating show, makes an epic debut by entering the Cape Town compound via helicopter.

There has already been a twist as viewers were given the power to select which bombshell they wanted to head into the villa - choosing between footballer Tom Clare or business development executive Ellie Spence.