'Winter Love Island' bosses have hired extra security due to kidnap fears.
Extra security for Winter Love Island
The Ludus Magnus villa in South Africa - where Maya Jama will host the upcoming series of the ITV2 show - is reportedly set to be guarded 24/7 by a security team using night vision CCTV and alarm beams amid fears kidnap gangs will target the contestants or crew.
A source told The Sun newspaper: "The aim is to make Ludus as secure as possible, without terrifying the contestants.
"We want them to feel relaxed and feel comfortable during the show.
"The beauty of Ludus as a choice is that it is a long way from the main road, so for anyone to reach the villa they would either be spotted or triggered alarms and be intercepted.
“There is a hotline into the local police station and private armed response companies so if any threat is larger than expected, the heavy cavalry would be on their way in seconds.
“The security of both the contestants and crew is of our utmost concern and must come first.
"Thankfully the one thing security companies know out here is how to keep people very safe.
"All the production crew coming in and out of Ludus will have armed escorts.
"They will also be given security briefings on what dangers to look for and what to do in worst-case scenarios.”
This will be Maya's first season as host, after she took over from Laura Whitmore, who quit the show in August.