Love Island Australia’s 2022 season hasn’t even hit screens yet and insiders are already claiming the show’s finale is totally fake in a shock leak.
Production just wrapped up in Spain, where host Sophie Monk helped sexy singles – including Married At First Sight’s Al Perkins – find love and compete for a $50,000 prize.
In the past, episodes were filmed, edited and released on the same day and filming continued up to the live finale, when viewers had the chance to cast their votes for their favourite couple to win.
Married At First Sight’s Al Perkins will join the Love Island cast in 2022.
(Image: Instagram)But this time the whole season has been pre-recorded, including the ending, with sources telling Yahoo!Lifestyle that three alternate finales have been filmed with each of the top three couples ‘winning’.
“Nobody has any idea who will win the cash prize as producers had all the finalists film a version where they win,” the insider claimed.
“The contestants won’t find out if they’ve won or not until they actually sit down to watch the finale with the rest of Australia, and see if their winning scene is played.”
Reality TV fans are already unimpressed with the change in filming format and the pre-recorded finale will only cause more upset.
“So all their reactions will be fake? What’s the point of that?” one long-time Love Island fan wrote on Facebook.
Reality TV fans are already unimpressed with the change in format.
(Image: Nine)Another responded: “They should’ve just picked the winners themselves instead of making the couples fake it. Why even vote when you know the finale isn’t genuine?”
Though Yahoo!Lifestyle reports that multiple endings were filmed to “prevent spoilers”, it’s believed that fan votes will still be incorporated into the show’s finale this year.
Love Island fans were surprised to learn that MAFS‘ Al Perkins had signed up to the show after failing to make his TV romance with ‘wife’ Samantha Moitzi work.
It’s been suggested that he bagged a “four-figure sum” to do the show, as well as a fee of $500 per week during filming and possibly the prize money.
WATCH: MAFS’ Sam rejects Al’s kiss. Story continues after video.
Meanwhile Sam gave Al her blessing after news of his involvement leaked, saying on Instagram: “Honestly, I hope he finds love. I do.”
Though she did note that he must have gotten “special permission” to be on the show, as former MAFS contestants are contractually forbidden from doing other reality TV shows for some time after their season airs.
“We’re actually not allowed to apply for any reality TV shows for like, over a year of the last episode airing, so that’s quite a long way away,” she said in a video.
“But I guess because Love Island’s a Channel Nine production, maybe he got a special allowance for that? I’m not sure.”
Now To Love has reached out to Nine for comment.
