First look inside sprawling Love Island villa in South Africa ahead of winter series launch

The famous communal bedroom is back and better than ever (Picture: ITV)

Love Island is back for another series and this time contestants will be looking for love under the glare of South Africa’s winter sunshine. 

Following the reveal of the faces that will no doubt become household names over the duration of the ITV fixture, show bosses released a first look at the home of the action – the villa. 

This time, singletons will spend their time getting to know each other on the grounds of a sprawling mansion that reportedly cost £1.2million and boasts an Olympic swimming pool and rugby pitch. 

Hosted by presenter Maya Jama, the property is one fit for a gladiator with an impressive roster of sporting amenities that includes a zip line and 400m running track. 

The home – aptly named Ludus Magnus after Rome’s ancient gladiator school – will also allow residents access to a private lake that now features its own beach and an array of palm trees. 

Adopting the usual bright colour scheme and neon slogans dotted throughout the summer villa, the Cape Town estate is a luxury love pad like no other. 

The home is in a winery near Cape Town (Picture: ITV)

The hideaway is back for the couples that prove themselves (Picture: ITV)

The fire pit is also making a return in the new location (Picture: ITV)

Views of the nearby mountains surrounding the outside areas (Picture: ITV)

Surrounding the property, views of the mountains and African countryside are breathtaking and will provide the ultimate backdrop of romance for the hopeful contestants.

The 25 acres is home to a 17-bedroom property and sits in the middle of a wine valley near the country’s capital city. 

Inside, the sprawling mansion has plenty of room for rest, relaxation and those all-important snug corners to pull couples for a chat. 

The hideaway – where progressive couples earn the privilege to spend a night alone – is decked out in bold colours and cloud-themed decor, with the bed sitting under a sign that reads: ‘Get Sexy’. 

Moving into the communal bedroom, as always the space contains a number of large double beds that partners will have to share whether romantically involved or not. 

This time, the villa boasts a host of sporting amenities including a zip line (Picture: ITV)

Contestants can work out using the outdoor gym (Picture: ITV)

Make-up stands and plenty of wardrobe space will be available for the guests (Picture: ITV)

Featuring outdoor showers, a massive swimming pool with purple loungers spread out across a centre strip of patio, the iconic fire-pit and an outdoor kitchen – the winter series’ set replicates many aspects of the summer favourite. 

Ahead of the show’s launch, insiders revealed the network will be splurging £8,000 a day to exclusively film at the eco-retreat.

Couples can go for chats in almost every corner of the cosy mansion (Picture: ITV)

The famous outdoor kitchen is also returning (Picture: ITV)

With plenty of lounge space, contestants will be able to use an Olympic-sized swimming pool (Picture: ITV)

As well as a new location, the upcoming run of the dating show will welcome a new host in presenter Maya, who takes over from Laura Whitmore.

Speaking about her new gig, Maya enthused: ‘I’m a massive fan, I’ve watched pretty much all of the series. I’ve tried not to do too much research because you want to still be yourself, don’t you?

‘You want to ask all the questions you want to know, but as a fan of the show, I feel like I’m going to approach it how I’ve screamed at the telly for years.

‘I’m just going to be like, “Why did you kiss her and what happened then?!” But we’ll see.’

Producers recently debuted their line-up of contestants, introducing the bunch of hopeful romantics to the world ahead of the highly anticipated January 16 kick-off date. 

The list included viral TikTok farmer Will Young, who vlogs his life on a Buckinghamshire farm, the show’s first-ever partially sighted entry Ron Hall, former KSI ring girl Olivia Hawkins and influencer Tanya Manhenga. 

Love Island starts at 9pm on Monday January 16 on ITV2 and ITVX.

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