Love Island Albania

Love Island Albania involves a group of contestants, referred to as Islanders, living in isolation from the outside world in a villa in Palasë, constantly under video surveillance. To survive in the villa the Islanders must be coupled up with another Islander, whether it be for love, friendship or survival, as the overall winning couple receives €50,000. On the first day, the Islanders couple up for the first time based on first impressions, but over the duration of the series, they are forced to "re-couple" where they can choose (or be chosen) to remain in their current couple or swap and change.

Any Islander who remains single, after the coupling, is eliminated and "dumped" from the island. Islanders can also be eliminated via a public vote during the series. The public can vote for their favorite couple or who they think is the most compatible through the Love Island Albania app available on smartphones. Couples who receive the fewest votes risk being eliminated. Occasionally, twists may occur where the islanders must eliminate each other. During the final week, the public vote for which couple they want to win the series and take home the prize.

Whilst in the villa, each Islander has their own phone with which they can only contact other Islanders via text – or receive texts informing them of the latest challenges, dumping, or re-coupling. Islanders and couples must typically take part in many games and challenges designed to test their physical and mental abilities, with the winners receiving special prizes afterward. Some Islanders are also sent on dates outside the villa or can win dates by winning challenges.^[2]

In 2022, it was rumored that TV Klan and Luana Vjollca had decided to start the show for the first time in Albania.^[3] In November 2022, it was announced by ITV Studios that an Albanian version of Love Island was in pre-production by TV Klan for two seasons.^[4][5] Later, Vjollca also announced that she will be hosting and producing the show in Albania.^[6][7] On 12 April 2023, the applications opened for all singles Men and Women, all around Albania.^[8] Only after 4 days, over 30 thousand single people interested in the official application link of Love Island Albania.^[9] On 10 July 2023, TV Klan released the first trailer, a one minute and forty-five seconds teaser featuring a group of young people dancing in a yacht, when they receive a message and reads "A big surprise awaits you on the opposite island! A super luxurious villa, €50,000 and if you're lucky, you'll find the love of your life". As soon as they see it, they abandon the yacht and dive into the sea and running on the beach to get a place in the villa. Also Luana Vjollca features, where she open the big door of the villa and at the end read "See you in September".^[10] On 28 August 2023, on official Instagram account of the show, it was published a new trailer, featuring Vjollca on a beach and at the end she says "Apparently the time has come to fall in love. See you on 3 September".^[11] The first season finally began airing on 3 September 2023 with a special episode showing the new Islanders enter the villa.^[12] The season ended on 5 November 2023 and was won by Arlind Gashi and Ueda Ndrecaj.^[13]

The first season of Love Island Albania began airing on 3 September 2023 at 9:00 pm.^[14] The show was broadcast on TV Klan and aired from Monday to Saturday at 6:20 pm, and also every Sunday at 9:00 pm was the Live Show with Luana Vjollca as host and with Olti Curri and Dalina Buzi as the two Opinionists.^[15][16] Every day, from Monday to Sunday on TV Klan, the viewers can watch at 11:45 pm and for 60 minutes live from the villa.^[17]

The islanders live together in the villa, where 24 hours a day their every word and every action is recorded by cameras and microphones in all the rooms in the villa. The location for the series was not initially confirmed, but it was teased as "the villa of love" and that will be located in Albania. Later, the host Luana Vjollca announced that the villa will be in Palasë.^[18] On 31 August 2023, two days before the premiere, on official Instagram account, it were published some photos from inside the villa, it includes fire pit, according to the patent, the fire pit is a very important environment of the house, since all changes of couples and discussions take place there. It also includes, the diary room, where the islanders will confess about their lives and everything else that they don't want to share with other islanders.^[19]

On 29 August 2023, it was announced on social media, that on the first day 10 single Islanders will enter the villa.