With the season finale set to air tonight, it appears that the seventh series of the reality competition has, on the whole, failed to light up TV screens in its current format.
The 'Love Island' viewing figures obtained by The BBC paints a relatively well-known picture of this year's series - it hasn't been hugely popular.
This seventh season of the sun-soaked reality TV show has suffered a dramatic loss from viewers since it premiered on June 28. According to viewer statistics, this series had an average viewership of around three million every night - far below the usual four million per night from previous seasons, and about half of the series' peak of six million from the series of 2019 (which featured Maura Higgins and Greg O'Shea, FYI).
The series opener from June also pulled in the show's smallest overnight launch since 2017, having to compete against Wimbledon and Euro 2020 coverage.
Add to all of this a 53% decrease in social media interactions, and the future of the reality show is being called into question. Has the public had enough of the 'Love Island' format? The short answer is yes.
The statistics also show that Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, received nearly 25,000 complaints about the row which kicked off between Faye and Teddy over the Casa Amor happenings. That was a record number of complaints the series has ever received.
It seems the authenticity of 'Love Island' is to do with the viewing figures remaining so low. A number of viewers have called out the producers on Twitter for meddling too much in this goings-on of this season, while others feel that the contestants on the show are only there to become a reality star, with their love life taking a back seat.
Due to the past year and a half changing peoples perception of what we like to see on screens these days, it may be clear that we can't tolerate this level of reality TV anymore - instead, favouring something more easy-going and wholesome along the lines of 'The Great British Bake Off' or 'Queer Eye', which remain as popular as ever.
Either way, the show must go on. Join Laura Whitmore for the 'Love Island' series finale tonight from 9 pm on Virgin Media One to see who will walk away with the grand prize.
