The new series of Ex on the Beach kicks off – literally, by the sounds of things – on MTV on Wednesday night (August 15), and we sat down with the shiny new line-up to find out what's in store.
"It's very different to previous series," Alicia Marie Bradon told Digital Spy after filming had wrapped. "A more dramatic version of Love Island!"
Of course, with the roaring success of the ITV2 dating show still ringing in everyone's ears, we're hardly surprised to hear comparisons. But as EOTB has become known for its NSFW antics and sometimes uncomfortably scandalous scenes (we're looking at you, Gaz Beadle) we wouldn't blame you for wondering how they could be similar.
"Previous series are more about who's sleeping with who," newcomer Natalee Harris explained, before Alicia added: "Whereas this series, there's a lot more relationships in it, and real emotions."
Whilst sex obviously plays a part in Love Island, the show styles itself much more on the relationships that are developing between the islanders. So it sounds like MTV has sat up and paid attention, and the new series of EOTB will play out a lot more along these lines.
"I expected to go in and for it to be similar acts and everyone going wild," Aaron Gill said, drawing comparisons between his recent experience on the show and previous series that he's watched on TV. "I noticed a lot more people got a lot more emotional. It was a lot more similar to Love Island in some respects."
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Don't go thinking that it's going to be completely tame though. "We kicked off every night," assured Natalee. Oh and apparently "it did get very saucy" too.
All the key EOTB ingredients are still there then.
Ex on the Beach premieres on MTV on Wednesday, August 15 at 10pm.
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TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
