Love Island Australia 2024 - Meet the host

Love Island Australia returns for season 6, with Sophie Monk reprising her role as the host. Bringing a fresh group of singles to a luxurious Spanish villa, the show has already released its first episode on October 28, 2024. It continues to air from Monday to Thursday on TVNZ+ in New Zealand and stream on 9Now in Australia.

With 44-year-old Sophie Monk at the helm since the show’s 2018 debut, her presence adds a sense of familiarity, setting the stage for another round of "coupling up, cracking on, and turning heads." In the show, these contestants compete not only for love but for a cash prize of AU$50,000.

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Sophie Monk: Love Island Australia

Australian model, actress, and reality TV personality, Sophie Monk, has been a fixture on Love Island Australia since its first season. Over the years, Monk has expanded her career beyond modeling and acting, participating in The Celebrity Apprentice Australia and The Bachelorette Australia.

She also brings her own reality TV experience to the hosting role, empathizing with contestants and serving more as a friend than a distant figure. She has opened up about the new season in an October 29 interview with The New Zealand Herald:

“[My job is] so stress-free… just watching them do their thing is so entertaining and fun.”

Reinforcing that even those who enter seeking fame often find unexpected connections, Sophie says:

“[Contestants] end up falling in love – they’re all single."

Unlike other reality shows, Monk clarifies that Love Island Australia does not script drama or assign roles. The show host shares that she stays on set with “a cheeseboard and champagne” while watching contestants in action. She further mentions:

“The only thing production has control over is a bombshell coming in... the rest is up to [the cast].”

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Details explored: Love Island Australia

Based on the UK’s Love Island, the Australian edition follows a similar structure with 'couplings,' 'recouplings,' and 'dumpings,' providing ample drama for fans. Yet there are unique elements in this version. A standout twist this season is Hotel Amor—a rebranding of the popular 'Casa Amor' segment.

In this new format, contestants are paired for a night with partners that the audiences believe are a better match. As Monk teasingly says in the same interview:

“One always tells. One person always talks, and it all comes out.”

The season also introduces two 'Love Island Gods'—contestants from international versions of the franchise. Hailing from Love Island France and Love Island USA, these Love Gods arrive with a special role in the villa, bringing additional intrigue and possibly shaking up existing dynamics.

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Behind the scenes of Love Island Australia

With cameras constantly rolling, Monk has revealed in the interview with The New Zealand Herald that every moment, including interactions off-camera, is captured, ensuring authenticity in all villa escapades.

While contestants have access to phones, they are only used for production notifications and updates. In Monk’s words, the villa experience heightens emotions similar to “school with your first crush,” creating a naturally charged atmosphere.

Another improvement in reality TV, according to Monk, is the addition of mental health resources like onsite psychiatrists who provide support to contestants during and after their time in the villa. The show host emphasizes that this change reflects the industry’s evolving approach toward mental health, contrasting with Monk’s early reality TV experiences where she found herself isolated after fame.

She also shares that social media allows contestants to interact with fans and defend themselves from negative narratives, providing an outlet that earlier stars did not have.

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New episodes of Love Island Australia air Monday through Thursday at 6 PM AEDT on the free streaming service 9Now.