The first season of Love Island Australia began airing on 27 May 2018 9Go! and 9Now[1] presented by Sophie Monk[2] and narrated by Eoghan McDermott.[3] The final aired on 5 July 2018, with Grant Crapp and Tayla Damir winning and sharing the $50,000 prize money. Eden Dally and Erin Barnett finished as runners up.
Format
Love Island involves a group of contestants, referred to as Islanders, living in isolation from the outside world in a villa in Mallorca, Spain, 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 money, as the overall winning couple receives a combined $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 to remain in their current couple or swap partners.
Any Islander who remains single after the coupling is eliminated and dumped from the island. Islanders can also be eliminated via public vote, as during the series the public vote through the Love Island app available on smartphones for their favourite couple or prospective couple. Pairs who receive the fewest votes risk being eliminated. Often a twist has occurred where it has been up to the Islanders to vote one of their own off the island. During the final week, the public vote towards which couple they want to win the series and therefore take home $50,000.
Islanders
The Islanders for the first series were released by Nine on 21 May 2018, just one week before the premiere episode.[4]
^Note 1 : Kim arrived after the first coupling, but was told she would be able to steal a boy for herself on Day 2. She chose Josh, leaving Tayla. All other couples from Day 1's coupling remained set.
^Note 2 : Australia voted for the girl they hope finds true love in the villa. As a new islander, Françoise was immune from the vote. Kim received the fewest votes and was dumped from the island, leaving John James single.
^Note 3 : As a new arrival, Françoise was able steal a boy for herself on Day 10. She chose Elias. This left Cassidy single. All other couples from Day 7's recoupling remained set.
^Note 4 : Dom arrived after the re-coupling ceremony, but was told he would be able to steal a girl for himself on Day 17. He chose Cassidy, leaving Josh single. All other couples from Day 15's recoupling remained set.
^Note 5 : Australia voted for the boy they believe would leave the villa with a girlfriend . As a new islander, Dom was immune from the vote. Elies received the fewest votes and was dumped from the island, leaving Françoise single. Then Jaxon & Justin were revealed to have the next fewest votes and were vulnerable to be dumped. The power as who between Justin & Jaxon would be dump was held by Eden & Erin - as Eden received the most votes, and Erin was his couple. Erin & Eden chose to dump Justin, leaving Millie single.
^Note 6 : Amelia and Shelby arrived after the re-coupling on Day 22 and were told they would be able to steal a boy each. Amelia chose Josh and Shelby chose Jaxon. A full re-coupling followed, with Cassidy and Mac left single. Australia voted to save one of the two girls, with Cassidy being dumped after receiving the fewest votes.
^Note 7 : On Day 30, the Girls were tasked to collectively decide to dump one boy from the island. They dumped Jaxon, leaving Shelby single.
^Note 8 : Kory and Mark arrived on Day 31, with both being told they can steal one girl each. Kory chose Millie and Mark chose Mac. This left Teddy and Dom single. All other couples from Day 26's recoupling remained set.
^Note 9 : The Day 35 recoupling ceremony was the final recoupling. From this point forward, the couples are set and one of the final 6 couples will be dumped every night until finale night.
^Note 10 : Australia voted for their favorite couples. Teddy & Mac and Mark & Millie received the fewest votes and were up for the dump. The saved islanders had to publicly vote to dump one of the vulnerable couples, with each saved couple casting one vote. As the vote resulted in 2–2 tie, with the saved couples were then forced to reach a consensus decision. As a consensus could not be reached, vulnerable couples then had to choose between themselves as to who would be dumped. Teddy & Mac elected to be dumped to save Mark & Millie.
^Note 11 : Australia voted for their least favorite couples. Mark & Millie and Josh & Amelia received the fewest votes and were up for the dump. The saved islanders had to reach a consensus decision to dump either Mark & Millie or Josh & Amelia. The saved couples chose to dump Mark & Millie.
^Note 12 : Australia voted for the couple they wanted in the Finale of Love Island Australia. Dom & Shelby had the fewest votes and were the final couple dumped from Love Island.
^Note 13 : Australia voted for which of the final three couples they want to win Love Island Australia. Grant & Tayla received the most votes, were declared the winners of Love Island Australia and forget in the final dilemma - Both received an envelope; one contained $50,000 and the other had nothing. Tayla received the $50,000 and had to decide whether to share the money with Grant or to keep the money for herself. She chose to share the money, so both Grant and Tayla received $25,000.
Series details
Weekly summary
The main events in the Love Island villa are summarised in the table below.
Week 1
Entrances
On Day 1, Cassidy, Charlie, Eden, Erin, Grant, Josh, Justin, Millie, Natasha and Tayla entered the villa.
On Day 2, Kim entered the villa.
On Day 4, Elias and John James entered the villa.
Coupling
On Day 1, the Islanders coupled up for the first time. After all of the girls entered, the boys were asked to choose a girl to pair up with. Tayla was paired with Josh, Justin with Millie, Charlie and Natasha paired up, Cassidy and Grant coupled up, whilst Erin paired up with Eden.
On Day 2, Kim coupled with Josh, splitting him and Tayla.
On Day 7, the Islanders re-coupled for the first time. Erin stayed with Eden and Millie stayed with Justin. Tayla picked Grant, Cassidy picked Elias, Natasha picked Josh and Kim picked John James.
Dates
On Day 2, Kim went on two dates - one with Josh and one with Charlie. Kim took them on a picnic away from the Villa.
On Day 4, the public voted for both John James and Elias to go on a date with Cassidy where they drank Mojitos on a wharf.
Challenges
On Day 3, the Islanders took part in "Spin the Bottle". When the bottle landed on an islander, they had to kiss an islander of the other sex who they believed matched the hint given by Tayla. The boys won 5 points to 3.
On Day 5, the Islanders played "The Hole Package" where the girls ranked the boys based on how they felt. 1st place was Eden, 2nd place was Elias and in 3rd place was John James. As a reward, Eden had the opportunity to invite a girl into the "hideaway" for the night, he picked Erin.
Exits
On Day 7, Charlie was left single following the re-coupling and was therefore dumped from the island.
Week 2
Entrances
On Day 8, Françoise entered the villa.
On Day 11, Jaxon entered the villa.
Coupling
On Day 10, Françoise coupled with Elias, leaving Cassidy single.
Dates
On Day 8, before entering the villa, Françoise went on dates with Elias and John James.
On Day 10, Erin and Eden went shopping in a nearby town to purchase food required for the boys to cook tapas' that afternoon.
On Day 11, public voting opened to vote for which boy deserves a date the most. Justin received the most votes.
Challenges
On Day 9, the islanders played "Pashtag". Each boy had to create a hashtag and rate each girl out of 10. Cassidy won with the highest score.
On Day 11, the boys treated the girls to a strip tease. The boy who raised the girl's heart rates the most won. Elias won, and as a reward invited Millie to spend the night with him in the "hideaway".
Exits
On Day 9, Kim was dumped from the island having received the fewest public votes in the "Which girl do you hope finds true love in the villa?" poll.
On Day 11, John James voluntarily left the villa.
Week 3
Entrances
On Day 14, Mac entered the villa.
On Day 16, Dom entered the villa.
Coupling
On Day 15, the Islanders re-coupled. As the newest Islander, Mac was able to choose her partner first. She chose to couple with Jaxon. The boys then had to pick a girl to pair up with. Eden and Erin, Justin and Millie, and Grant and Tayla remained together, whilst Elias picked Françoise and Josh paired with Cassidy.
On Day 17, Dom coupled up with Cassidy, leaving Josh single.
Dates
On Day 14, Justin and Mille, and Josh and Cassidy went on a date where they learnt to dance.
On Day 17, the public voted for Françoise to go on a date with Dom. Dom then got to choose a girl to take on a second date. He picked Cassidy.
Challenges
On Day 15, The Islanders split into two teams and played a game in which balloons were attached to each islander. An islander from their team must pop the balloons to progress to the next person. The two team captains were Mac and Cassidy, and Cassidy's team won.
On Day 16, the Islanders played "Any Hole is a Goal". Islanders shot a ball into a cardboard mouth of other islanders. The boys and girls drew 6-all.
On day 18, the Islanders played "Dirty Pizza". In their partners, the Islanders had to make a pizza without using their hands. The winners were Erin and Eden.
Exits
On Day 15, Natasha was left single following the re-coupling and was therefore dumped from the island.
On Day 18, Australia voted on "Which boy do you think is most likely to leave with a girlfriend". Elias received the fewest votes and was dumped. Jaxon and Justin received the next lowest number of votes, and Eden - who received the most votes - along with Erin had to decide whom to send home. They picked Justin, who was subsequently dumped.
Week 4
Entrances
On Day 21, Teddy entered the villa.
On Day 23, Amelia and Shelby entered the villa.
Coupling
On Day 22, the Islanders re-coupled. As the newest Islander, Teddy was able to choose his partner first. He chose to couple with Mac. The girls then had to pick a boy to pair up with. Millie coupled up with Dom, Françoise paired up with Josh, Cassidy picked Grant, Tayla coupled up with Jaxon, and Erin chose to stay with Eden.
On Day 24, the Islanders re-coupled. As the newest Islanders, Shelby and Amelia were able to choose their partners first. Shelby chose to couple with Jaxon, and Amelia partnered with Josh. The boys then had to pick a girl to pair up with. Dom chose to stay with Millie, Eden chose to remain with Erin, Grant picked Tayla, and Teddy coupled up with Françoise.
Dates
Challenges
Exits
On Day 25, Australia voted on "Which girl has a greater chance at finding love in the villa". Cassidy received the fewest votes and was dumped.
Week 5
Entrances
On Day 31, Mark and Kory entered the villa.
Coupling
On Day 26, the Islanders re-coupled. Tayla and Grant re-coupled, Erin and Eden re-coupled, Josh and Amelia re-coupled, Dom and Mac coupled up, Shelby and Jaxon re-coupled & Millie and Teddy coupled up
Dates
Challenges
Exits
On Day 26, Françoise was left single following the re-coupling and dumped from the island.
On Day 30, Jaxon was dumped from the island by the girls in the villa.
Week 6
Coupling
On Day 35, the Islanders re-coupled for the final time. Amelia chose to remain with Josh, Tayla stayed with Grant, Erin chose to stay with Eden, Shelby coupled up with Dom, Millie picked Mark, and Mac coupled with Teddy.
Dates
Challenges
On Day 37, the Islanders took part in "The Lie Detector". Each girl had to write questions for the boys to answer while hooked up to a lie detector.
Exits
On Day 35, Kory was left single following the re-coupling and was dumped.
On Day 36, Australia voted on "Who is your favourite couple?" Mark and Millie, and Mac and Teddy received the fewest votes, and the Islanders had to decide whom to dump. The remaining four couples were deadlocked 2–2 on whom to vote out, and subsequently Mac and Teddy decided to leave voluntarily.
On Day 37, Australia voted on "Who is your favourite couple?" Josh and Amelia, and Mark and Millie received the fewest votes, and the Islanders had to decide whom to dump. The remaining three couples dumped Mark and Millie from the island.
On Day 38, Australia voted on "Who is your favourite couple?" Dom and Shelby were dumped from the island after receiving the lowest number of votes.
Reception
Love Island Australia averaged around 200,000 viewers for its linear broadcasts in overnight OzTAM ratings, increasing to an average of 511,000 when adding viewers from Nine's streaming service, 9Now.[7] The series performed strongest in the youngest key demographic band (16 to 39 year olds), but ranked low amongst total viewers.[8] The series generated in excess of 150 million views through its official YouTube channel, however 85% were viewers from outside Australia, and YouTube viewers cannot be monetised.[7]