U.K. Comedian Iain Stirling on High Stakes for 'Love Island USA': "If America Mugs Me off, I'll Be Gutted" (EXCLUSIVE)
Published July 18 2022, 3:53 p.m. ET
The summer season is in full swing, but things are only just about to heat up on Love Island USA. The fourth season of the popular dating series is set to premiere on Peacock on July 19, and a cast of new and sexy singletons will be riding out the rest of the summer in a luxury villa in California.
The move to Peacock isn't the only change for the upcoming season. For the first time ever, Love Island U.K. narrator Iain Stirling will be lending his voice to the American series all season long.
Since the U.K. series debuted in 2015, Iain's voice has guided viewers through each episode, and his jokes have cut the tension during emotionally-charged scenes.
Ahead of the July 19 premiere, Distractify caught up with Iain to discuss his participation on Love Island USA, how he's balancing doing the voiceover work on both shows, and whether viewers can expect to hear the classic Love Island lingo on the Peacock series.
Iain Stirling on joining 'Love Island USA' as the narrator: "It's really flattering and really exciting."
The comedian spends about four months of the year living and breathing Love Island, so he's not as familiar with American dating shows like The Bachelor or Love Is Blind.
He has, however, gotten himself accustomed to the American reality TV genre by watching shows like The Real Housewives and Selling Sunset — which could come in handy as he takes on Love Island USA.
While Americans have become obsessed with watching Love Island U.K. on Hulu, Iain noted that many shows from the U.S. have as big of an impact across the pond as well.
"Culturally, American TV is so big to Europe in general," Iain said, which is why it's meaningful to be on Love Island USA. "America is the place to be, it's sort of like the pinnacle. It's really flattering and really exciting."
Though some TV personalities may dream about going to fancy premieres or Hollywood parties in the U.S., Iain's Love Island USA goals are a bit simpler than that.
"I love the idea that one day, I'll go to America and I'm like walking through Wisconsin or something, and I can hear people talking about a couple from Love Island," he said. "That would be so cool."
The comedian shares whether he'll bring the signature 'Love Island' lingo will get "mugged off" on the Peacock series.
Since Love Island U.K. made its way stateside via Hulu, it's left a big impression on viewers. The show has introduced Americans to a whole dictionary of new phrases including positives, like how you can "graft" someone who you "fancy," find "fit," or is your "type on paper" and who has "good chat" and can "banter."
It's also brought Americans up to speed with more unfortunate terms, like when you have to "mug" or "pie" someone off if they're going in "Factor 50" (aka laying it on too thick).
Can the now-infamous Love Island language translate on the American series? Iain is optimistic that some of the lingo will stick since there aren't exact equivalents when it comes to popular American dating terms.
"I hope maybe they start using like 'type on paper,' "mug me off' all that sort of thing," Iain said about the islanders on the American series. "What would you say if you if someone was mugging someone off? What would you call that in America?"
Some of the language may make its way over to the Peacock series, but Iain also has the fun opportunity to add words to the Love Island guidebook.
"I'll need to make up a new one for the Americans, which is exciting in and of itself," the comedian shared about what could replace "mugged off" on Love Island USA.
The narrator talks balancing his roles on the U.K. and the U.S. versions of 'Love Island' at the same time.
In addition to delivering the jokes during his Love Island voiceovers, Iain also writes the material alongside scriptwriter Mark Busk-Cowly.
The eighth season of the U.K. version is set to wrap on Aug. 1, but for about two weeks, Iain and Mark will be working on both programs at the same time. The two dating programs also air new episodes about a day after they are filmed, meaning that there really isn't any room for error.
"Instead of one tin cabin for me and Mark, there's now two tin cabins — the U.K. tin cabin, and the American tin cabin. We sort of go between the two," Iain said about the mad dash to work on writing and recording for the two shows at once. "Peacock has been amazing making it work so I get to see my family and sleep."
Iain is getting used to jumping back and forth between the two programs, but he noted that "the hard thing will be people's names." He already has a way to keep track of the various islanders on both shows.
"We'll get their faces printed up my walls — basically, it's going to look sort of like a teenager's bedroom," he said. "I'm going to have scantily clad boys and girls covering up all of my walls. So, I think it'll be fine. I think we'll be alright."
As Iain gets acquainted with all of the islanders thanks to his photo wall, all that's left to do is to wait for viewers to stream the series on Peacock and to hear what they have to say about the new Love Island USA.
"If America mugs me off, I'll be gutted," Iain joked.
Love Island USA will debut on Peacock on July 19 at 9 p.m. EST. New episodes will be available to stream each week from Tuesday through Sunday.
