Love Island heatwave: will reality show be cancelled over deadly European temperatures, how hot is the villa?

The heatwave in Europe this month has caused carnage across the continent with thousands of Brits attempting to leave Rhodes on rescue flights as wildfires rip through the Greek island.

Wildfires have also blazed across La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands, and in Italy temperatures are predicted to surpass 48 degrees, potentially setting a new record for the hottest temperature ever recorded in Europe (48.8 degrees in Syracuse, Sicily in August 2021).

With such dramatic and life threatening developments coming from the heatwave, caused by an anticyclone named Cerberus, the more trivial impacts of the extreme weather are easy to overlook.

However, even as planes take off through the smoke filled skies of Rhodes, and the Foreign Office issues a travel warning for those heading to Greece or Spain, reality series Love Island continues to be filmed in Mallorca. 

Some holidaymakers are considering cancelling their trips abroad this summer, but with Love Island contestants already in the midst of a weeks-long heatwave, this is how the sizzling temperatures could affect the show:

How hot is it in the Love Island villa?

The Love Island villa is located on the island of Mallorca, near the town of Sant Llorenç. Temperatures in Sant Llorenç are expected to be in the low 30s for most of the coming week, with a high of 33 degrees expected today (24 July). 

This means the villa will be hotter than average summer weather for Mallorca, and it could be dangerous for contestants if they spend too long outside in the sun. It is also just a few degrees cooler than Rhodes, where temperatures are today expected to reach 36 degrees - although no wildfires have been reported on the island.

The villa also has plenty of inside space to escape the sun, a pool where islanders can cool off, and shaded outdoor areas.

How has Love Island been affected by the heatwave?

This year is not the first time that the islanders have had to deal with extreme weather - last year the show also faced a weather warning as temperatures at the villa reached 40 degrees. Filming continued as normal last year, and it is unlikely the warmer weather will halt production this time around either.

ITV has yet to comment on the effects of the heatwave on filming and has not said they plan to take a break during the hot spell. However, there are measures in place to ensure the islanders’ welfare is looked after as a top priority.

The Love Island welfare team monitors contestants throughout the show and will step in if any of the show's stars have a health issue. The islanders also have access to sunhats, sunglasses, and sunscreen, along with the shaded areas throughout the villa to escape the baking heat.

Speaking about her experience on the show, season seven winner Millie Court said that a speaker which sounded across the villa was used to tell contestants to top up their sunscreen at certain points.