'Love Island' bosses may be forced to cancel the summer series for another year.
Laura Whitmore
The hugely popular dating show is in doubt for 2021 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, and producers are considering all options, including axing the programme yet again.
ITV chief executive Carolyn McCall told 'The Media Show': "I genuinely don’t know. We will want to put 'Love Island' on air because it’s been off air for a little while.
"We didn’t do it last summer. We are looking at all our options at the moment. The pandemic makes it hard.”
Last month, reports claimed TV bosses were planning to film the show - which is hosted by Laura Whitmore - in Majorca during July and August, while acknowledging how tough it could be.
International travel is complicated by the pandemic, but ITV are said to be happy to increase the show's budget to make sure it goes ahead.
An insider recently said: "Producers are aware that international travel will still be restricted, so they are having to plan around that.
"It is likely they will need to quarantine all contestants.
"They also think they’ll need to fly over three times as many contestants than normal in case some of them fall ill. And they’ll need to put them all in different hotels, which will be a big task and expensive.
"All of these measures will push up costs."
Despite the difficulties, bosses are determined to try every option to bring the programme back.
The source added: "Everyone is keen to make this happen."
And if it goes ahead, the upcoming series could be the most expensive in its history.
The insider revealed: "Discussions around the budget are happening. It’s definitely going to be the biggest in show history."
Tagged in Laura Whitmore