Sophie Monk says Love Island Australia ups the antics with X-rated twist in new season

Love Island Australia is coming in hot with a new season that promises a world first X-rated twist – and host Sophie Monk spills all the details with news.com.au.

Warning: May contain spoilers for Love Island Australia Episode 1

“Unpredictable” is how host Sophie Monk describes the new season of Love Island Australia.

Love, lust, lads and ladies are a given when it comes to the global smash-hit dating show. But with an X-rated twist added this season, the sexy singles, aka islanders, won’t know what hit them.

That’s right, this season marks the introduction of Hotel Amor – a world first for the franchise. This is a separate dwelling to the villa in stunning Mallorca, Spain, where the islanders live. Hotel Amor allows the guys and gals to spend a night in a hotel room with no cameras, meaning they are free to hook-up or partner swap as they please.

“We’ve pushed it up a notch this year,” Monk tells news.com.au ahead of the Season 6 premiere on Monday evening on 9Now.

Sophie Monk returns for to host Love Island Season 6.

“We’ve got the Hotel Amor, which is just fascinating to watch because we’ve got to send them away with no camera for one night into a beautiful hotel, but with different people that the audience might think are more suited. I think that just creates a lot.”

Monk admitted she had her reservations about having a hook-up hotel on offer, as did producers. But the gamble paid off.

“We didn’t know if it was going to work or create anything, but it definitely did,” she says. “That’s just the interesting bit. I was like, ‘I don’t think it’s going to work,’ but it’s definitely crazy what 24 hours can do [in there].”

But how will viewers know what went down if it’s a camera-free zone?

“Well, one always talks, don’t they?” Monks tells us. “So that’s a good thing. That’s pretty much how it all comes out.”

Despite hosting the show for six seasons, the 44-year-old is still surprised at the antics on display in the villa. In episode one alone, the islanders get hot and heavy are being given a kissing challenge, or as Monk called it on the show, “Try Before You Buy.”

Mim plants one on Zane, who scores a kiss from all the ladies.

“I’m kind of on their side here. If the chemistry’s not there… so try it to see,” she says. “It’s just another option. It’s like school when there’s a new kid at your school or whenever someone comes in, everyone goes crazy. I think it’s just the surprise of newness, shiny and new.”

Hook-ups and heartache aside, there will be some solid couples standing at the end, Monk promises – but you’ll never guess who.

“It’s the first season that’s extremely unpredictable. I know the top three but I wouldn’t picked any of them for the top three. Australia decides the winner and I don’t know who they’re going to choose at all. Not even a rough guest,” she says.

“Sometimes you can predict it almost like go, ‘Well, they’re probably going to win and they’ve been together the longest’ or whatever. That’s why I think it’s just so entertaining.”

Eilisha shoots her shot with Niko.

Monk says that she show really is a mirror into modern dating and we call all learn a lot from it. And she admires the young cast for speaking their mind and truth when it comes to life and relationships.

“I think this age group I work with, their confidence is just… I couldn’t even talk at that age or have an opinion. I didn’t think I was allowed,” she says, adding that she’s learnt how to speak her mind after hanging around a headstrong bunch year after year.

The ladies debrief after the kissing challenge.

The guys prepare to couple up for the first time.

“I personally am not that person. I don’t like upsetting someone or you go along with it,” she shares.

“But you’re better off saying no and setting up yourself straight away and it’s done, or it can result in so much more drama and a bigger deal. Sort it out right then and there, which this show teaches you to do so.”

Monk has also shared some of her wisdom with the young ladies too, often over lunch.

The ladies are thrilled when new guy Taylor enters the house at the end of episode one.

“I do have a lunch with the girls and get to chat to them a bit,” she says. “I just say be yourself. That’s all you can do. People can see through you in reality shows. If you want to be a b***h, be whatever. Don’t pretend to be something. I think that’s the key to all reality show – just be you. People love to trust you – good or bad.”

And because she’s been on a dating show herself – she starred in The Bachelorette in 2017 – she knows exactly how the ladies are feeling.

“I’ve been on the other side of it. I know how they feel and I empathise with them a lot,” she adds. “I think any age that if you get betrayed or whatever, that’s similar, but I think you just go in a lot more wide-eyed.”

Love Island Australia Season 6 premieres Monday, October 28 at 6pm AEDT on 9Now

Originally published as Sophie Monk says Love Island Australia ups the antics with X-rated twist in new season