Overview
- ITV2 and ITVX premiered the rescheduled opener on January 15 following an evacuation and short postponement caused by wildfires in South Africa.
- The first couplings were decided by a public vote, with returning host Maya Jama revealing the viewer-selected pairs.
- An opening-night bombshell entered and set up a cliffhanger that saw two contestants temporarily leave the villa pending the next episode.
- Early drama included a kissing icebreaker and Shaq Muhammad addressing his split from former partner Tanya Manhenga on camera.
- Broadcasters confirmed an extended six-week run with an extra full episode on Saturday, and international streaming has resumed on Peacock in the U.S.