'Love Island' bosses plan big change to coupling up and voting for series 11 - and islanders will be shocked

In just a few hours ‘Love Island’ will be back on our screens, and excitement is building. To add to the feelings of anticipation, ITV bosses have announced there’s going to be a big change to how the islanders will couple up tonight (Monday June 3).

In the previous ten seasons, and in the first season of spin-off show, ‘Love Island All Stars’, viewers were given the power to match the boys and girls ahead of their entrance in to the iconic Majorcan villa - but this year fans have not been given that opportunity. Now, bosses have revealed that there will be a “shock twist” to the way that islanders will first couple up.

Creative director Mike Spencer told ‘The Mirror’: "We have changed up our day one format. There'll be something very new, it's not a public vote, but it'll be a new way to couple up our Islanders. I hope it'll shock the Islanders and I think it will because there will be an element of a new gameplay that will lead to their couples without them knowing it."

Show bosses also told the publication they like to be reactive to social media, and monitor TikTok "obsessively" to see what viewers are discussing, stating that they use this to inform their decisions about the show. Spencer added: "The great thing about this show is that it is a fast turnaround. We are reactive. We see things on socials - we look at all the socials, I have a TikTok obsession. Maybe some spaces are more negative but we definitely take on people's opinions."

Hinting what could be coming, he continued: “I think the audience want dumpings, they want to be entertained for the whole series," says Mike. "So it's good to keep everyone on their toes and remind them they're here to find love."

Viewers - and islanders for that matter - won’t have to wait long before they find out exactly how the first couples will be formed this year. It also remains to be seen if the public vote for coupling up will return at any point later in the series. We’ll have to keep watching for the next eight weeks to find out.

A teaser for the launch episode states: "Everyone's favourite villa is ready and waiting, packed with brand new sexy singles in the return of Love Island, hosted by Maya Jama. The first coupling up is on the way, and the big question is… who's here for love? With a tasty £50k prize up for grabs, the game is well and truly on."

Spencer also teased even further when he spoke to ‘The Mirror’, saying that this year's bombshell contestants will cause temperatures to raise in the villa when they enter later in the series. He said: "I know who is waiting to come in and I know they are brilliant. Bombshells are bombshells for a reason. There's some great ones coming in. I don't want to hype it up too much but they are so good. I feel confident."

This is not the only big change ITV have made to the format of the show for the new series - there’s also two more. ‘Love Island’ starts tonight (Monday June 3) at 9pm.