The inaugural season of Love Island Games is in shambles after multiple locked-in contestants quit the show before filming.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, our fave dating show has copped an epic spinoff, where Islanders from around the globe will return for a second shot at love, money and Instagram followers!
So Dramatic! previously unveiled a bunch of names attached to the series, including Aussie alum Josh Packham, Mitch Hibberd, Callum Hole, Jessica Losurdo, Andrey Kano, Cassidy McGill and Tina Provis.
We also dished on some international faves, including the likes of Megan Barton-Hanson, Georgia Steel, Liberty Poole, Scott van-der-Sluis and Toby Aromolaran.
A few days after our cast leak, the official cast of Love Island Games was announced. However, several names on our list were MIA.
So, WTF is going on?
As reported in episode 320 of the So Dramatic! podcast, several stars said things behind the scenes of the show were chaotic and messy AF, and they were having none of it.
Inside the Love Island Games quarantine process
Love Island Games contestants were flown to Fiji in late August, with filming commencing in mid-September.
Insiders said all Islanders were made to endure a long quarantine period of around two to three weeks.
One cast member described the process as “fucking hell”, while another said they’d never experienced anything “more unorganised and chaotic in [their] life”.
After quarantining for a few days, some contestants said they were told they wouldn’t be starting filming for another several weeks.
Other contestants were told once they were in quarantine that they weren’t even guaranteed to be going on the show.
Following this, a number of contestants decided to ditch the series and fly back home because it wasn’t worth “waiting around for weeks on weeks for a bit of airtime”.
“The rooms were nice. However, we just weren’t allowed to leave,” one Islander said. “They’d take you out once a day for a walk, swim or gym, that’s it.
“Some will still be in the hotels waiting and would have been there for more than three weeks, it’s pretty f*cked.”
Josh Packham spills SPICY secrets from his stint in Love Island Games’ hotel quarantine
However, it wasn’t all doom and gloom!
In his tell-all in episode 329 of the So Dramatic! podcast, Josh Packham revealed that the potential Islanders would talk to each other over their balconies!
“I’d look over the balcony to try and get some human contact and I could hear people talking in English accents,” Josh said, naming Toby Aromolaran, Megan Barton-Hansen and Liberty Poole from the UK franchise.
However, he particularly “loved” to chat with Deb Chubb, Zita Morrison and Courtney Boerner from Love Island USA! And did somebody say networking?
And it turns out things got kinda spicy between Josh and Courtney, who’d connected over Instagram during quarantine.
When Josh threw in the towel, Courtney told him she was “upset” that he’d left and she thought the pair would’ve had fun together in the villa. Saucy!
What happened to the cast members missing from the official Love Island Games lineup?
The Love Island Games contestants missing from the official lineup were Josh Packham, Cassidy McGill and Audrey Kano.
Chatting to host Megan Pustetto, one source explained why they never made the final cut.
“Josh was the producers’ first pick for Aussie guys,” they revealed. “He wasn’t too keen to do it as he is busy running his business but producers basically begged him.
“Because of this, he was able to negotiate a really high fee to do the show in order to make it worth his while.”
In fact, Josh, who appeared on Love Island Australia 2019, locked in a fee that was “double what everyone else was offered”, which we found out was a whopping $30,000!
However, once the 28-year-old discovered he wasn’t a “starting contestant” and would have to quarantine for upwards of four weeks, he opted to go home.
“He had already done a week of quarantine and didn’t want to sit in a hotel room for another 2-3 weeks locked away for a week or two of TV airtime when his brother is at home managing both of their workload for the business,” the source said.
“He’s not that desperate for TV.”
Meanwhile, Cassidy was approached for the show but production “dropped [her] at the last minute”.
As for Audrey, the insider said “she was flown over and quarantined”. However, it’s unclear whether she will appear as a bombshell or was cut altogether.
Tina Provis was a replacement contestant for Love Island Games
So Dramatic!‘s source also revealed that two-time Love Island star Tina wasn’t an OG choice for the new series.
“Tina was a backup replacement after several other contestants pulled out at the last minute,” they confessed.
And with Tina set to face her on-again-off-again Love Island bae Mitch for a THIRD time, we’re glad things worked out the way they have!
Hosted by Love Island UK host Maya Jama, Love Island Games is set to premiere on Peacock on November 1.
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