Love Island Australia: Everything you need to know about the show before it airs

LOVE ISLAND will air for the first time in Australia this year, and if the wild success of the UK version is anything to go by — you’ll be obsessed. Here’s everything you’ll want to know.

WE got our first glimpse of the new Channel Nine series, Love Island, this week and boy are we excited.

But we would forgive you for wondering what exactly the show is about given we don’t get much from the promo other than a whole lotta tanned bodies gyrating up against each other.

But never fear, I am here to explain the show that has captivated the UK and will likely claim your social life, too.

WHAT *IS* LOVE ISLAND?

Think Bachelor in Paradise mixed with Big Brother — remember Big Brother? What a throwback.

But I digress, Love Island essentially places a bunch of hot single people into a Spanish villa, isolated from the rest of the world and left to scheme their way to love (and a whole bunch of prize money).

They’re all young and virile, with the kind of abs and plumped up lips that could poke an eye out.

But let’s go back a few steps

HOW DOES IT WORK, EXACTLY?

Well, the contestants, referred to as ‘Islanders’, are dropped in a villa in Spain and put under 24/7 video surveillance.

On the first day, they are forced to “couple-up” based on first impressions.

From there, the main goal is to remain “coupled-up”. Over the course of the six-week series, they have to “re-couple” at different stages, either choosing to remain as a couple, or swap and change with another couple.

These ‘coupling’ sessions effectively function as eliminations, with whoever is standing single being eliminated.

These are not the contestants, they're just models. Picture: Channel 9

Of course, this is further complicated by new singles entering over the course of the show, adding extra temptation for the couples who must aim to stay paired up.

Not only this, but they also compete in challenges and are given rewards a la Big Brother.

As people are steadily eliminated, one couple will remain and be named as the winners.

Now, if you’re thinking, ‘this seems a lot like Bachelor in Paradise’, you’re not wrong, but it’s not exactly the same.

WHY IT’S DIFFERENT

For one, Sophie Monk is the host, which will be entertaining in and of itself.

But in addition to that, the Islanders aren’t the only people who get a say in who stays and who goes.

Love Island also gives power to the public, getting the public to vote on who they think is most compatible forcing the Islanders to prove the authenticity of their connection. Whichever couple gets the least votes, risks getting eliminated.

Is it the look of love? Or the thought of pocketing a whole lotta cash? Probably neither considering these people won’t be on the show. Picture: Channel 9

But the plot thickens! Because as I mentioned before, there’s prize money on Love Island.

The winning couple are given a nice sum of money at the end, ‘to start their new lives together’ (because remember they’re meant to be trying to find love) — but there’s a catch (because are they actually trying to find love or are they just after the fastest way to more money and a life of promoting laxative-laced tea on Instagram?).

One of them is given the choice to either share the money or walk away with it all for themselves. Forcing them to answer the ultimate question of what’s better: falling in love or falling into a huge lump of cash?

I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

But if reports about the UK version are anything to go off, we can expect a continuation of the kind of drama we see on Bachelor in Paradise, only on steroids because they’re playing for money — and technically love, but who are we kidding? It’s all about the money.

Channel Nine is yet to announce the start date.