ITV has officially confirmed the air date for the highly-anticipated new Love Island: All Stars series featuring loads of “familiar faces”.
And it’s happening SO much sooner than we were expecting.
In case you missed it, after rumours had been widely-circulating on social media for several months, and fans had been eagerly awaiting to hear whether or not there was actually any truth to them, ITV officially confirmed back in September that the first-ever Love Island: All Stars series was, in fact, in the works and on the way “very soon”.
At the time, the show was teased to be hitting our TV screens “early” in the new year, and it turns out that wasn’t a lie, as viewers will be able to tune into the new series merely weeks after 2024 has got underway.
Get your alarms set and ready to go, as Love Island: All Stars will kick off on Monday 15 January at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
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Produced by Lifted Entertainment – which is part of ITV Studios – and set in South Africa, just like the previous two winter Love Island series have been, the first series of Love Island: All Stars will see a lineup of legendary islanders venture back into TV’s most-talked-about villa for “a second chance at finding the one”.
Contestants from former series will each attempt to find love once again as they “crack on in a bid to couple up and avoid being dumped from the Island,” ITV explained as it teased the new show.
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And apparently, just like regular viewers of the massively-popular reality show will know all too well, newly-formed relationships in the villa will be put to the test as bombshells enter, which will see heads turn and leave some lovestruck hopefuls heartbroken in the ultimate quest for love.
As the couples “explore their connections” and “attempt to win the hearts of each other and the nation”, only one pair will be crowned the winners.
Speaking ahead of the new series airing later this month, Mike Spencer – Creative Director at Lifted Entertainment – said: “It has been rumoured now for a while, but we are thrilled to finally confirm that we are making Love Island: All Stars early next year.
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“It’s set to be a must-watch series, seeing some of your favourite Islanders from across the years heading back to the stunning South African villa to once again ‘graft’ as their search for love continues.”
He added: “I know the audience will welcome back some of the most iconic UK Islanders, as they set out in pursuit of love all over again in a brand new version of our worldwide hit.”
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Will Mellor’s new BBC documentary about real-life Post Office scandal victims airs tonight
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC documentary about real-life victims from the Post Office scandal fronted by Will Mellor is hitting TV screens tonight.
As the country finally starts to wake up to the full scale of the Post Office scandal – which involved the British postal service pursuing thousands of innocent subpostmasters for apparent financial shortfalls caused by faults in an accounting software system between 1999 and 2015 – actor Will Mellor is on a mission to find out what happened to the real-life sub-postmasters in this new BBC documentary.
The Stockport-born actor famously played the part of Lee Castleton in the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, and says he feels a “real affinity” will the families he spoke to for the programme.
For the new documentary and accompanying five-part BBC Sounds podcast series – which is titled Surviving the Post Office – Will actually speaks to Mr Castleton himself, as well as four other affected people and their families whose lives have been “torn apart”.
Surviving the Post Office ventures to all four corners of England, including East Yorkshire, County Durham, Lincolnshire, West Sussex, and Cornwall, as Will discovers that many of the sub-postmasters want to “take back control of their lives”.
According to the BBC, for some facing the past, that proves to be a “troubling experience”, while for others, it ends up being a “liberating” step forwards.
As well as exploring the financial losses for many, including the people featured in the documentary and podcast series, Will also gets to find out how they are coping with their emotions, trying to move on from the whole ordeal, and how the victims are finding support in unexpected ways.
📢 Actor Will Mellor meets the real-life victims of the Post Office scandal in a brand new documentary from BBC Local
Surviving The Post Office is coming to @BBCOne and @BBCiPlayer tonight at 8.30pm. The podcast series is on @BBCSounds now
“I feel a real affinity with these families, so it was a privilege to hear their stories for this documentary and podcast,” Will said ahead of the documentary airing on BBC One.
“What shocked me the most after meeting so many sub-postmasters is just how far the impact and trauma has spread – the effect it’s had on people’s health, their children, and their whole communities has been massive.”