Two villas, one summer: how to watch Love Island UK and Love Island USA at the same time

In a world of social media, going for a casual scroll without stumbling across a major reality TV spoiler on your feed is basically impossible.

One minute you’re checking Instagram stories, the next you’ve accidentally discovered who’s been dumped and who’s coupled up in a villa thousands of miles away.

With Love Island UK series 13 and Love Island USA season 8 airing at the same time, many viewers are desperate to keep up with both villas as the drama unfolds.

While UK fans can watch the British series every night on ITV2 and ITVX, the American version isn’t quite as easy to access across the pond.

Thankfully, there’s a way to stay up to date with all the recouplings, bombshell arrivals and messy love triangles happening on both sides of the Atlantic.

The OG lineup on series 8 of Love Island USA. Image credit: @loveislandusa on Instagram.

How to watch Love Island USA in the UK?

If you want to watch Love Island USA in the UK at the same time as it airs in America, you’ll need to use a VPN.

A VPN changes your online location by routing your internet connection through servers in another country.

That means you can appear to be browsing from the US, giving you access to American streaming services that wouldn’t normally be available in the UK.

For Love Island fans, that’s particularly useful because the latest season of Love Island USA is released first in the United States.

If you’re determined not to spend weeks dodging spoilers online, a VPN could be your bestie this summer.

Here are some of the VPNs that come highly recommended by other users:

Where can I watch the new Love Island USA?

Love Island USA season 8 streams exclusively on the US-streaming platform Peacock in the United States.

Once you've connected to a US server through a VPN, you'll be able to access Peacock and watch episodes as they drop.

Just like Netflix or Disney+, you’ll need to have a subscription to view Peacock content, but you could potentially sign up for a free trial to cover you for your villa fix.

Considering how quickly clips and spoilers spread across TikTok, X and Instagram, being able to watch alongside American viewers might save you from having every plot twist ruined.

Is Love Island USA season 8 on ITVX?

Eventually, Love Island USA season 8 will be on ITVX, but if you’re hoping to watch the latest season right now, you’re going to be waiting a while.

ITV typically adds the latest season of Love Island USA to ITVX straight after the latest UK series has finished airing.

That means British viewers who choose to wait for ITVX end up months behind the American audience.

Given that series 13 of Love Island UK has only just started and typically ends at the start of August, it will be a little while until the American season drops.

Avoiding spoilers for that long would require serious levels of self-control, so if you want to experience all the grafting in real time, a VPN remains the quickest option.

Why is everyone watching Love Island USA?

Over the past few years, Love Island USA has stopped just being another franchise of the UK version and has fully blown up in its own right.

The series has developed a reputation for even messier drama and Islanders who aren't afraid to speak their minds.

We’ve even started to see some crossover with previous Love Island USA contestants appearing in Casa Amor during on the last Love Island All Stars series.

Love Island USA contestants Zac Woodworth and Yamen Sanders made the Love Island UK: All Stars final earlier this year. Image credit: @loveisland on Instagram.

Many fans now watch both versions simultaneously, comparing challenges, debating couples and arguing over which villa is delivering the better entertainment.

Basically, if you're already invested in Love Island UK, there's a very good chance you'll find yourself tempted by the American villa too.

Are VPNs legal?

VPNs are totally legal in most parts of the world, including the UK, Europe, the US, Canada and Australia.

Millions of people use them every day for privacy, security and accessing content while travelling.

That said, you should always check the terms and conditions of any streaming platform you're using, as some services have their own rules regarding VPN access.

It's also worth noting that VPNs are restricted or banned in certain countries.

Places including China, North Korea, Iraq and the UAE have strict regulations around VPN use, and attempting to use one there could result in fines or jail sentences.

For viewers in the UK, however, using a VPN is perfectly legal.

If one villa simply isn't enough for you this summer, there is a way to keep up with both Love Island UK and Love Island USA at the same time.

While UK viewers will eventually get access to Love Island USA through ITVX, anyone wanting to watch the latest episodes as soon as they air will need a VPN and access to Peacock.

Let's face it, avoiding Love Island spoilers for months isn't realistic. Plus, when there are two villas delivering drama every single night, why would you want to?