Inside the revamped Love Island All Stars villa as show introduces new change to cause 'chaos'

Love Island All Stars is set to return for its second series in South Africa, a year after the revamped show made its debut on ITV2, where Molly Smith and Tom Clare walked away as winners.

This year, Maya Jama will be back to welcome 12 more returning islanders who are looking for love once again. Among the familiar faces returning to the reality dating show are Curtis Pritchard, Scott Thomas and Kaz Crossley, as well as Ronnie Vint, Elma Pazar and Catherine Agbaje.

Rounding out this year's line-up are Nas Majeed from Series 6, Olivia Hawkins from Series 9, Luca Bish from Series 8, India Reynolds from Series 5, and Marcel Somerville and Gabby Allen from Series 3 - who had a very public break up, reports the Mirror.

The villa has undergone an all-stars makeover, with a gold theme running throughout to make the celebrities feel at home. The house catchphrases that adorned the walls and mirrors in tribute to past series have been removed as bosses aim to give the house a fresher feel.

The kitchen area, known for being the scene of some of the most heated arguments on the show, has undergone a significant makeover. It now boasts striking pink stripes across the walls, ceiling and even the fridge, giving it a Barbie dream-house vibe.

Love Island bosses have confessed they're unsure how this bold revamp will be received by viewers - whether it will captivate or cause headaches due to the intense stripes.

A new addition that viewers will be eager to see is the Secret Garden. This secluded area, hidden from the rest of the villa, offers its occupants ultimate privacy for clandestine activities.

The space feels entirely different from the rest of the villa, with layers of foliage hiding the walls. Decorative lanterns ensure that islanders can sneak off for some alone time, day or night.

This new area also comes with its own set of rules. Islanders are free to enter the Secret Garden whenever they wish, but only with someone who isn't their partner. Producers are hoping that this private space will lead to plenty of affairs, gossiping and backstabbing.

"It's the Secret Garden for a reason," revealed Love Island's executive producer Mike Spence, the brain behind the concept. "What happens in here could potentially stay in here... or it could get shown at Movie Night, the PDA Awards. But it's so chilled in here, it's private, you feel like you are away from it all."

"Basically if you want to do something naughty you can come and do it in here," chimed in host Maya Jama, who expressed her enthusiasm for the chaotic new feature.

Yet, beyond the potential for drama, the show's creators are also keen for the villa to serve as an idyllic backdrop for love stories to unfold. The Hideaway, having received a luxurious revamp for the All Stars, offers couples an intimate escape.

Adorned with rich purples and golds, it sets the scene for a night of romance. This season, a pool has been introduced to the adjacent outdoor area, providing a spot for islanders to cool down when the temperature rises. And to top it off, the Hidehouse boasts not just one, but two double beds, hinting at the possibility of a groundbreaking 'throuple' scenario on Love Island.

Producer Mike has hinted at a change in the traditional coupling up format for the new series of Love Island. "It's not the traditional coupling up format. There is another double bed. Maybe we'll see a sleepover in here," he said.

Despite ITV bosses hoping for fireworks, more intimate bedroom scenes will no longer be shown, reflecting the evolution of the series over its nine years on air. "It's very tastefully shot. Times have changed, for us it's more of a nod to what's happening," Mike explained.

The villa also features seven hidden single beds in the living room, providing a sleeping spot for any islanders left out in the cold. Mike revealed: "We'll have more people coming in so we'll need these beds. We've got an incredible group of bombshells lined up. But Joey Essex is not coming back! We'll give him a break. We love him but he's not coming back."

The villa's outdoor area has undergone a makeover, with the infamous coloured bean bags replaced with clean white counterparts. The main bedroom follows a minimalist theme with white and grey bed sheets. However, islanders hoping for a good night's sleep may be disturbed to find the beds pushed closer together than ever before.

The changes aren't just confined to the villa, with the series set to undergo a series of major shake-ups from the very first episode. Mike has teased a thrilling start to the new series, revealing: "We have a brand new opener. Maya doesn't even know what's going to happen. It's a really exciting totally new way of starting the series. There will be lots of new things in episode one and it will feel very different to Love Island or All Stars."

Maya chimed in with her own excitement, saying: "It's the biggest opener yet, but I don't know anything! I find out everything literally just before the viewers do. But I prefer it that way. I don't ever want to be responsible for anything getting out. I say, 'Tell me last minute! I'll find out when you guys do.' And that way my reactions are more genuine as well."

Mike continued, hinting at what's to come: "We kicked off last All Stars with Molly and Callum. So we're not looking to do that again," and added: "We had Jake Cornish and Liberty Poole in the opening line up again. But with the amount of islanders we have of course there will be exes in the mix."

He also promised plenty of surprises: "There will be tons of twists and turns planned. We learned so much from the last All Stars. It feels so different to the main series, the viewers are already invested in the islander's backstories. They know them from before, they know them from social media or the careers they've taken after. It's easy to think 'Oh yes Curtis, we know what he's like' - but will he be the same? You don't know."

Love Island All Stars launches on Monday 13 January on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.