Love Island UK contestants are earning the most from social media compared to other reality dating shows, a new study has revealed.
The study, conducted by TV and tech retailer Currys, analysed the potential Instagram earnings of contestants from various dating shows, using data from Influencer Marketing Hub. It found that Love Island UK stars top the rankings, with an average Instagram following of 1.24 million and a potential earning of £2,528 per post.
While these are estimates, real-life examples suggest Love Island stars can far exceed these figures. The Telegraph previously reported that Molly-Mae Hague has earned over £6 million from social media since her time on the show.
Love Island UK has cemented its dominance in the reality TV landscape. It was recently named the biggest reality show of the past decade, having been streamed two billion times since 2017. This summer’s series alone was streamed 137 million times on ITVX – more than the 132 million streams recorded for the UEFA Euros.
Too Hot to Handle ranked as the second most profitable dating show for contestants. The programme, which challenges participants to form emotional connections without physical intimacy, sees its stars average 1.12 million Instagram followers, translating to potential earnings of £2,279 per post.
Ex on the Beach UK secured third place, despite having the worst track record for long-term relationships. Contestants from the show have an average of one million Instagram followers, with a potential earning of £2,120 per post.
A full breakdown of the study’s findings revealed the following earnings potential for contestants:
- Love Island UK – 1,237,783 average followers, £2,528 per post
- Too Hot to Handle – 1,116,044 average followers, £2,279 per post
- Ex on the Beach UK – 1,037,958 average followers, £2,120 per post
- Love is Blind US – 679,033 average followers, £2,081 per post
- Love Island USA – 238,537 average followers, £733 per post
- Married at First Sight Australia – 136,701 average followers, £422 per post
- Married at First Sight UK – 115,067 average followers, £355 per post.
- Love is Blind UK – 107,243 average followers, £331 per post
Which dating show is best for finding love?
The study also examined the success rates of 210 couples across seven major dating shows, analysing how many remained together after their series ended. Love is Blind emerged as the most successful, with one in three couples still in relationships.
The US version of Love is Blind had a 33% success rate, slightly outperforming the UK edition, which recorded 29%. However, the UK series has only aired one season, while the US has completed six.
Married at First Sight UK ranked third, with an 11% success rate. Of the 18 couples analysed from seasons six and seven, only two remain together, and just one couple is still legally married.
Love Island, both in its UK and US versions, had a 10% success rate, with one in ten couples still together.
Overall, only 25 out of 210 couples from dating shows were still together at the time of the study, giving reality TV a success rate of just 12% when it comes to lasting relationships. The percentage drops to 8% when focusing solely on married couples, with just 16 of the 210 contestants tying the knot.
The least successful show for romance
Ex on the Beach UK ranked lowest for relationship success, with only one out of 24 couples (4%) still together after the show.
Too Hot to Handle also had a poor track record, with just one of 19 couples (5%) managing to maintain a relationship.
Despite their popularity, reality dating shows remain more lucrative for contestants seeking social media fame than for those genuinely looking for lasting love.
