How would you cope if you were stranded on an island with your partner? How about if you’d only known them for a matter of hours beforehand? That’s the premise of Davina McCall’s new BBC One dating series, Stranded on Honeymoon Island, where 12 singles find themselves stranded on a remote, tropical beach with someone they’ve met at a speed date for just five minutes. Let's just say it’s a twist that’s going to make for totally unfiltered viewing - and bring plenty of emotions with it, too. Move over Love Island, this is the dating show we’ve been waiting for!
The series is set on a tropical island in the Philippines and sees the couples endure island life for three weeks as they get to know each other – flaws and all. According to the BBC, the “bold” dating format “seeks to discover if, away from the distractions of modern-day life, love can thrive in isolation,” while Davina says that what sets this dating show apart from others is the “deep learning that people do about themselves, about other people and what they want. I think it really cements what they want and what’s important in life."
Ahead of the series arriving on the BBC this September, here’s everything you need to know about Stranded on Honeymoon Island, including how it works, who the contestants are and how to watch it.
What to read next
What is Stranded on Honeymoon Island about?
The 12-part series will see 12 singles looking for love take a giant leap of faith. You see, each single takes part in a speed dating event, after which they pick their favourite potential partners, but they have no idea who the show’s relationship experts will choose for them to… marry. Yes, that’s right - their adventure begins with a wedding ceremony on the island and until they get there, each single is clueless as to who they’re going to marry.
Each newly-married couple is then stranded on a remote, tropical beach (each couple gets their own beach, we should add), which will be home for three weeks. With nowhere to run when the going gets tough, the question is, how will they cope? And will their marriage stand the challenges that are thrown at them?
According to Davina, “On top of all of that, it gets really complicated when we start doing Couples Cove. Everybody starts socialising together and then suddenly maybe you’re looking at other options you met at speed dating, it's carnage. Lots of drama to come!”
As for what viewers can expect, Davina says, “To get totally addicted. You watch one episode and you’re like Oh My God, I want to see who else is going to come and get married and once you’ve seen the first two, you’re in. Just brace yourself to get totally hooked, you’re going to love it!” Full disclosure, we’ve seen a sneak preview of the series and we can confirm, it’s highly addictive viewing!
Who’s the host of Stranded on Honeymoon Island?
Davina McCall is the sole host of Stranded on Honeymoon Island and will guide the contestants through their journey – off and on the island. However, she’s revealed that she won’t be too readily available to them.
“I’m there at the speed dating to welcome them to the experience and to get them all geared up and tell them all what’s going to happen,” she says. As it’s called Stranded on Honeymoon Island, they do need to be and feel stranded so I can’t keep popping up every week.
“I’m there in the last couple of shows to support the couples, they’ve been on quite a journey so I wanted to go in and have a chat with them. I feel like they needed to see Mummy, I’m like the mother of the show and they needed a bit of motherly love. It was a tough journey for all of the cast, so I felt it was important for me to be there at the beginning and the end.”
Who are the contestants on Stranded on Honeymoon Island?
As we mentioned, 12 contestants will be stranded on Honeymoon Island. They include 32-year-old Abby from Berkshire who's been single for a year and admits to being a bit of a "player" in the past. We'll also meet 30-year-old Jordan from West Yorkshire who's been single for five years and finds it frustrating that all his mates are getting married, and 28-year-old Moray from Edinburgh who didn't know how to speak to girls until he was 18. You can see more of the contestants in the trailer below.
What has Davina McCall said about Stranded on Honeymoon Island?
In an exclusive interview with Good Housekeeping, Davina revealed that she wasn’t immediately convinced by the idea of hosting another dating show. She told GH: “I was quite busy and I thought, “Oh another dating show, how different can it be?” When she read the treatment for it, however, her mind was made up very quicky.
“I read it and realised actually, this sounds really good and I knew I had to find the time to make it happen,” she added. “I’m so pleased I did.”
She also shared that there are serious surprises in store. “Firstly, there are some surprise arrivals. You're never quite sure what's going to happen,” Davina says. “The couples are also shown clips from the speed dating part of it, and there’s fallout from that. There's lots of twists and turns along the way.”
How would she sum the show up? “Enlightening, intriguing, funny and sexy,” Davina says. Just in case we needed any more convincing to tune in...
Is there a trailer for Stranded on Honeymoon Island?
Yes! You can watch the trailer for Stranded on Honeymoon Island below:
How can I watch Stranded on Honeymoon Island?
Good news – there’s just over a week to wait before the show arrives on our screens. Stranded on Honeymoon Island will premiere on Wednesday 3rd September at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with new episodes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
![london, england august 21: pierce brosnan attends the thursday murder club uk premiere at leicester square gardens on august 21, 2025 in london, england. (photo by karwai tang/wireimage)](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/gettyimages-2231374103-68a858e3a4561.jpg?crop=0.787xw:0.554xh;0.0673xw,0.0259xh&resize=360:* ""The Thursday Murder Club" UK Premiere - Arrivals")
