ITV has officially announced a revised launch date for the highly anticipated Love Island All Stars 2026 series, alongside a significant change to the opening week's broadcast schedule.
Revised Launch Following Unforeseen Delay
The show's production was unexpectedly halted last week due to wildfires breaking out near the villa in South Africa. The series was originally slated to begin on ITV2 and ITVX on Monday, 12th January 2026, but fans were instead met with an apology as all filming was suspended.
Presenter Maya Jama and ITV bosses have now confirmed that the wait is finally over. Love Island: All Stars will now launch on Thursday, 15th January at 9pm. The delay forced a reshuffle of the planned programming, resulting in an exciting bonus for viewers.
An Unprecedented Schedule Change
In a first for the franchise, the opening week will feature an additional full episode. Typically, Love Island airs from Sunday to Friday, with an Unseen Bits compilation on Saturday.
However, to make up for the lost days, a special one-off episode will be broadcast on Saturday, 17th January at 9pm. A spokesperson for the show stated: "The wait is over… Love Island: All Stars launches tomorrow night at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. Plus, for the first time ever, there’ll be an extra full episode on Saturday night at 9pm, too."
Islanders Enjoy Extended Preparation
The delay meant contestants, including former stars like Jess Harding, Millie Court, Helena Ford, and Sean Stone, had an extended stay in South Africa before entering the villa. They used the extra time to share behind-the-scenes holiday snaps on social media, with the girls enjoying extra pampering and islanders like Tommy Bradley topping up their tans.
Despite the show not yet airing, spoilers have begun to circulate regarding the first four bombshells and a unique coupling-up twist. Reports suggest the initial pairs for the All Stars cast will be decided by the public vote, rather than the traditional stepping-forward ceremony.
Love Island All Stars 2026 begins tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX, kicking off a week of dramatic schedule changes for the hit reality series.
