Croatia to get its own Love Island and Game of Chefs after ITV Studios deal with RTL Croatia

(Photo: ITV Studios/Press)

ITV Studios has signed a new agreement with RTL Croatia for two of its flagship unscripted formats, Love Island and Game of Chefs.

Under the deal, Croatia becomes the 28th territory to commission Love Island, one of the world’s most successful reality television formats, ITV Studios said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Game of Chefs is set to make its Croatian debut in Spring 2026, marking the seventh international adaptation of the high-stakes culinary competition.

Tom Clark, EVP Global Sales & Commercial Strategy at ITV Studios, said the agreement highlights the continued strength of both formats on the global stage.

“This deal with RTL Croatia underlines the continued momentum behind Love Island as one of the world’s most powerful reality brands, alongside the distinctive appeal of Game of Chefs. Both formats deliver premium entertainment with real audience impact, and Croatia is an exciting new market for them. We’re looking forward to working closely with RTL Croatia to bring two bold, high-energy shows to viewers in 2026,” Clark said.

RTL Croatia also welcomed the partnership, underlining its strategy of investing in premium international content.

Tonko Weissmann, EVP of RTL Croatia, said:

“RTL Croatia continues its commitment to bringing premium international content to local audiences. The acquisition of these formats marks a significant milestone in our strategy to strengthen our linear channels and Voyo streaming platform.”

The Croatian commission comes as Love Island continues to post record-breaking figures worldwide.

The current UK series, Love Island: All Stars series three, has already attracted 53 million streams on ITVX and generated more than one billion social media impressions at its midway point. Its launch also ranked as ITV’s biggest programme of the year among 16–34-year-olds.

In the United States, season seven of Love Island USA became Peacock’s most-watched original season ever, clocking up 18.4 billion minutes streamed and topping the streaming originals chart during the week of its finale.

Back in the UK, series 12 delivered its largest final audience in three years, with 2.4 million viewers and total streams reaching 173 million, an increase of 8 per cent year-on-year.

The format follows a group of single contestants, known as ‘Islanders’, as they couple up, recouple and face eliminations in a sun-drenched villa, with romance and public approval ultimately determining the winners.

Game of Chefs brings a different kind of intensity, pitting three elite chefs against one another as they each build a team of amateur cooks through blind-tasting auditions, famously conducted via an iconic conveyor belt. The competition escalates through bootcamp and battle rounds, combining the drama of a talent show with a high-end culinary challenge.

Love Island is produced by Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, alongside Motion Entertainment, a WPP Media company. ITV Studios also handles international distribution for both Love Island and Game of Chefs.

The deals with RTL Croatia were brokered by Martijn Plaizier, Format Licensing Manager, Global Partnerships at ITV Studios.

Both formats set to launch in 2026.