Inside £1.2 million Love Island villa with Olympic-size pool and rugby pitch

Love Island bosses are believed to have gone all-out on a luxury villa complete with its own zip line, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and even access to its own private lake, which sounds like a pretty incredible spot for a date…

The hit dating show returns to South Africa in just a few weeks with new host Maya Jama at the helm.

Although not officially confirmed yet, it’s been reported that bosses have forked out an eye-watering £1.2 million on the stunning Ludus Magnus near to the capital city of Cape Town.

And if the reports are correct, then this year’s crop of contestants are in for a real treat with the beautiful property boasting a whopping 17 bedrooms, a 400m running track and rugby field sprawled out across 25 acres.

Oh, and to keep things spicy as ever, Casa Amor is set to be situated just metres away from the main villa. Can you even begin to the imagine the drama that could cause?

Instagram/@ludusmagnus_franschhoek

An inside source told the Sun: “The challenges on Love Island always make for fun TV and this place is a producer’s dream.

“It’s absolutely stunning and has so much going on. It will set the standard for future series.”

They added: “There’s bound to be plenty of fun and games on the winter edition and Ludus Magnus provides the perfect opportunity for a huge range of activities for the contestants to get stuck into.”

Instagram/@ludusmagnus_franschhoek

Maya will be taking over presenting duties from Laura Whitmore, who had fronted the show since the tragic death of Caroline Flack.

Earlier this year, Laura announced she was stepping down from hosting the show, saying there were elements she simply found too 'difficult' to continue with, including travel commitments.

Sharing the news on Instagram, mum-of-one Whitmore wrote: "Some news! I won’t be hosting the next series of Love Island. I hope I did you proud, Caroline."

Instagram/@ludusmagnus_franschhoek

ITV said in a statement: "Laura has been a fantastic host across the last three series of the show. We are so grateful for everything she has brought to the programme but understand and respect her decision, and we look forward to working with her on upcoming ITV projects."

Maya Jama was confirmed as the new host in October, with the Love Island official Instagram account posting: “Okay, the rumours are true. Say hey to your brand-new #LoveIsland host @mayajama!"

In response, Maya added in the comments: "SO BLOODY EXCITED! GET ME ON THAT ISLAND."

Topics: Love Island, TV And Film

Claire Reid

Claire is a journalist at Tyla who, after dossing around for a few years, went to Liverpool John Moores University. She graduated with a degree in Journalism and a whole load of debt. When not writing words in exchange for money she is usually at home watching serial killer documentaries surrounded by cats.