Look, we all know that (by now) we’d be a few weeks into Love Island, if things were different. We would have started to ship people. We would be discussing it in our offices. Someone will have convinced themselves they’ll try just one episode and then they’d be hooked. We know this! However, that doesn’t make the lack of Love Island this Summer any easier. I, personally, was waiting for a new couple to root for (Siannese and Luke T will always have my heart, heavily invested in their happiness and they are the true winter Love Island winners, don’t @ me!) Nevertheless, we want to help with the boredom you face from a Love Island-less Summer. So, here are 4 dating shows to fill the Love Island gap in your lives…

1. Too Hot To Handle

If you’re looking for a show that also continues the ‘attractive people lounging around in swimwear’, then this dating show is for you. Netflix’s Too Hot to Handle has that and then some. Instead of islanders getting texts, these guys get their info from a wannabe Alexa called Lana. While Love Island has people finding sneaky ways to ‘do bits’, Too Hot to Handle takes that and makes it the whole premise.

Gone is the emphasis of finding love, hello to watching horny people actively trying not to have sex, so they don’t lose all the prize money. Also, the contestants are from different parts of the world. So, you can laugh at the Brits trying to explain banter. If you need more reasons to watch, check out our post here!

2. Celebs Go Dating

Personally, I’m partial to the earlier seasons of Celebs Go Dating, but nevertheless it’s pretty entertaining. Ever wondered what celebs would be like if they dated the everyday person (us)? I do use the word ‘celeb’ loosely. Be prepared to know some of the participants and to wonder who the rest of them are or what they actually do. It does make for excellent reality tv though.

In the later seasons of this dating show, the celebs go somewhere tropical with the ‘normal’ person they’ve chosen to date. If you’re into seeing celebs from other reality shows being shocked by everyday dating problems, then this is for you!

3. Love is Blind

Another Netflix instant classic. Love is Blind. This dating show gave us what we never knew we wanted. A show hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey (random, we know) where the attractive (goes without saying) contestants are separated (men in one place, women in another) and they meet each other in isolation booths. They talk through the walls and then they can decide to propose to each other and we see what happens next.

Guys. This show is wild. People generally propose after a few days without seeing each other first! Then they actually try and build a life together. On. Camera. Like what?! Needless to say, you’ll be hooked.

4. Ex on the Beach

They have the celebrity version of this dating show as well. The name is pretty accurate, it’s a bunch (8 single guys and girls) living it up on the beach. They’re eyeing each other up, shooting their shot but this is reality tv. It can’t be this easy? Of course not. So, then their exes show up and drama ensues.

Usually the exes are looking to get some payback after how they were treated. Sometimes they want to try again and make things work. Nevertheless, it’s the kind of chaotic drama that is truly addictive. Plus, you may see some faces you recognise from other reality tv shows. If you’re into that…

So, there you have it! 4 dating shows to fill the Love Island gap in your lives. We know it’s hard. You could also rewatch past seasons, or watch the various other versions of Love Island. They have a US version and an Australian version. Just saying!