A new study has revealed that contestants from Love Island UK are the most lucrative among reality dating shows, raking in substantial sums from social media posts. Conducted by TV and tech retailer Currys, the research analysed the potential earnings of stars from several popular dating series, finding that Love Island UK contestants lead the pack in terms of Instagram following and engagement.
According to the findings, the average Love Island UK contestant has 1.24 million followers, with potential earnings of £2,528 per Instagram post based on an engagement rate of 3%. The show’s popularity has translated into substantial financial success for many contestants, with Molly-Mae Hague standing out as a prime example of success, reportedly earning over £6 million since her time on the show.
The Love Island UK franchise continues to dominate the reality TV landscape, with its recent success highlighted by the fact that the 2023 series alone was streamed a record-breaking 137 million times on ITVX. This marks the show’s rise as a cultural phenomenon, even surpassing major events like the European Football Championship in terms of views.
Following Love Island UK, the reality show Too Hot to Handle ranks second for earning potential. Contestants from the show, which challenges participants to withhold from physical contact, average 1.12 million Instagram followers, equating to potential earnings of £2,279 per post. Meanwhile, Ex on the Beach UK—known for its drama-filled format—takes the third spot, with contestants averaging 1 million followers and a potential £2,120 per post.
The full breakdown of the most profitable dating shows, according to the study, is as follows:
| TV Show | Average Contestant Following | Potential Earning per Post (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Love Island UK | 1.24 million | £2,528 |
| Too Hot to Handle | 1.12 million | £2,279 |
| Ex on the Beach UK | 1 million | £2,120 |
| Love is Blind US | 679,000 | £2,081 |
| Love Island USA | 238,000 | £733 |
| Married at First Sight Australia | 136,000 | £422 |
| Married at First Sight UK | 115,000 | £355 |
| Love is Blind UK | 107,000 | £331 |
While Love Island UK is the most profitable show, Love is Blind US has emerged as the most successful in terms of relationship longevity. The study also explored the relationship status of contestants from popular dating shows, revealing that Love is Blind has the highest success rate for couples remaining together. At least one in three couples from the show are still together, with the US version boasting a success rate of 33%. However, the UK version of the show, which is only in its first season, has a slightly lower success rate of 29%.
In contrast, reality shows like Ex on the Beach and Too Hot to Handle showed much lower success rates for long-lasting relationships, with only 4% and 5% of couples from these shows still together today, respectively.
The study concludes that only 12% of couples from the analysed dating shows remain together, with just 8% of those couples going on to marry. Despite the romantic ideal these shows portray, the numbers paint a sobering picture of the true success rate of finding lasting love through reality TV.