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In addition Love Island in the USA Host Ariana Madix, there’s another person who has become a staple on Peacock’s hit reality show. Although you may not know him for his “amazing skin,” you can definitely recognize his famous British accent from anywhere.
Comedian Iain Stirling, who has been narrating the US version since season four and the UK version dating back to season one, reveals he was “absolutely excited” to return to both shows again this year, even if it means limiting his sleep for six weeks.
“I would like to make this very clear: There are nurses and doctors and firefighters and night shift workers all over America listening to me say, ‘Oh, for six weeks I have to write 30 jokes instead of 20.’ So that’s OK. It’s a real honor,” he admits. Hollywood Reporter.
For a comedian, getting paid to write jokes about hot single islanders running around a beautiful Fiji villa looking for love is probably their dream job. The chaotic and unpredictable nature of the show allows Sterling to bring the hilarious witticisms and well-timed witticisms to his commentary that viewers have come to love.
“I’m a stand-up comedian, so it’s my job to push it as far as I can get away with it,” he says, noting that when writing jokes, he has to keep in mind that “sensitivities are really different between America and the UK, and that was something I had to adapt to.”
Below, Sterling takes fans behind the mic and reveals how he can change his commentary so quickly, whether some of his jokes are rejected before they go on air, how he juggles the US and UK at the same time, his reaction to Americans watching as an Englishman and more.
What are you most looking forward to about returning to? Love Island in the USA And also the UK version this year?
I’m really very happy, because obviously I think America and the UK have had some really exciting journeys in the last year. America has exploded and become this massive thing. After that, the UK saw a resurgence of people joining it. It’s been really fun because obviously it’s very difficult in the world of streaming and apps and all the rest of that to find things that people take the time to watch. So, it’s a real honor to work on a show that is watched by so many people, and doing two jobs at the same time is absolutely crazy.
Since the United States has reached a new level of popularity in the past two seasons, how do you feel being part of this success?
I’m not in America, so I’m kind of disconnected from it. I don’t really understand how big it is. And then one day, someone sent me something on Instagram that showed Kylie Jenner doing an Instagram reel with my voice over it, and I thought to myself, “Yeah, that’s kind of crazy,” because I didn’t quite realize what a cornerstone of American pop culture it is right now. But it’s really nice. And every time I go to America every now and then for work or something and I’ll order a coffee and someone will recognize my voice, it’s kind of fun.
How much pressure are you under on both shows at the same time? Do you have time to sleep?
Fortunately, I have a wonderful, incredible family around me, so it’s just a lot of future planning. When you do that, you can get on with it, take naps and sleep when you can, and just make sure you’re giving work and your family and everyone the right amount of attention. It’s totally doable.
People are so kind that they always say: “I hope you are well.” But it’s also for six weeks, so that’s OK. People work harder than me all year. I want to make this perfectly clear: There are nurses and doctors and firefighters and night shift workers all over America listening to me say, “Oh, for six weeks I should write 30 jokes instead of 20.” So it’s okay. It’s a real honor and I enjoy it.
How much time does it take to see the episode clip and record the voiceover in advance?
We have to get it done that day. It’s much easier in the UK because I know the way TV works: that episode will be shown that night. But the episode we’re working on that day Love Island in the USA It must be sent to the peacock that night. But I’m not entirely up to speed on what happens once it hits Peacock, and how many days it takes to load on their streaming device. But basically we start at 8:30 at night, which is first thing in the morning Fiji time, and we finish at 2:30 in the morning. If we don’t finish by 2:30 a.m., this show will not have a voiceover to be shown on TV.
Do you have to run your script from the producers or do they trust you a lot at this point?
So we wrote the show and then there was a big executive meeting with all the heads from NBC, Peacock, ITV and all that. I can’t imagine how many people are in that room, but there are so many, and they’re going through it all with takes and banter and all that stuff that’s way above my pay grade. And 90 percent of the time they’re completely fine. Then in 10% of cases they say: “You obviously can’t say that.” (He laughs.) And then we have to write another letter at two in the morning and sometimes we do something a little better.
Have you ever gotten rude or profane with your jokes and had to cut them off? And if so, do you remember what I said?
We do, but it’s kind of a business relationship. I’m a comedian, so it’s my job to push it as far as I can get away with it. It is then the responsibility of the Chief of Chiefs to object to it and make it acceptable for broadcast. If I were to guess what is allowed and what is not, I think I would not be funny. And sometimes I say things like, there’s no way, and it flies. Then other times it’s the opposite.
I don’t think I can think of specific examples off the top of my head, but sensibilities are really different between America and the UK, and that was something I had to adapt to. So, there are things that we’ll never get away with on a UK show, and there are other things that I said, without giving it a second thought, and they were like, “Absolutely not. I can’t do that.”
Do you record anything in advance to help make the process smoother throughout the duration of the show?
It’s not a big deal in America, weirdly, [but] In the UK, they always said how old they were and what they did for a living, whereas in America, it was about their age and where they came from. So the only preparation we can do is there’s a week before we start when we get all the information and we just make jokes about people’s jobs. We have a bikini shop manager or an electrician or whatever, and we can just write a bunch of jokes. But other than that, we show up that day, get this stuff and start writing.
As a Brit, you’re used to watching Love Island UK, so now that you’re narrating the American version, what do you think of Americans and how they communicate and interact?
I found this very off-putting at first, but now I’m extremely jealous of Americans. Again, I’m fully aware of that Love Island. You cannot use Love Island To the general population, but they seem to be accepted very early. In the United Kingdom Love IslandYou’re going out with someone before you kiss them. We are very proud and proper in the UK, but they are very good at conveying their feelings and sitting down and talking to people about how they feel and so on. And I feel like men are also very in touch with where they are emotionally, which is very healthy and as a modern man, I try to work my way through it.
Being a comedian and doing stand-up Comedy mode, how useful is that when it comes to writing jokes that quickly for episodes?
On a large scale! Sometimes writing jokes feels like group work in a room, especially at the speed you have to do it because we do about 20 or 25 jokes in four hours, which doesn’t sound crazy, but then when you set aside an extra hour to actually watch the show, it doesn’t give you time to write every joke. Sometimes you can tell, sometimes you can’t. But yes, being a stand-up is priceless. Caroline Hanes and Steve Buggia, who I write with on the US version, they’re amazing. They are both standup in their own right. Yes, I feel that without that kind of power and speed, I think the writer could do the job, but he wouldn’t be able to do it with the limited time that we have.
When you present both offers at the same time, do you mix them up?
Yeah, I have no idea who he is at this point. We are very early. I’ll get there eventually. In the UK, there are clematis and clematis. I like this, it can go in the trash. I’m really confused. In the beginning, I would often talk to the people I worked with and ask, “What are their names?” I go, “Blah blah goes there.” But she settled down. After about a week, I realized it. It only takes me twice as long.
We’re only a few weeks into Season 8, and viewers are already witnessing the islanders’ collapse early this year. Have you ever found yourself laughing at the absurdity and chaos of it all?
I feel so nostalgic for my 20s when I watch it because that’s why Love Island Business is that it involves feelings and relationships. The bottom line is that you can go ahead with whatever game plan you want, but if someone you like doesn’t like you back, even if it’s for a reality TV show, there’s something profound about that. It hits you in the gut and you can see it happening.
And part of the reason they were all crazy to begin with was because a huge aspect of their personality was that they were good looking. And I don’t even mean that indirectly, but there’s something about being a handsome person that changes your attitude in a social setting, and then suddenly that’s taken away. There will be guys and girls on this show who have been rejected twice in three days and have never been rejected in their entire lives. So they have to learn who they are as people. That’s what I found really interesting.
For people who only know you by your voice, what do you want them to know about you?
My skin is incredible. (He laughs.) I think my attitude is that I would like people to know, because that’s what I’ve been doing for 15 years. You’ve got a special [Prime Video]And it’s for those who don’t know what it is [Prime Video] It’s like a peacock, but not as good. (He laughs.) That’s what I was told to explain. And I just shot another special and I don’t know what I’m going to do with it yet, but I put it up so people can see it somewhere.
How long do you see yourself continuing to chronicle both shows?
Right now, I’m absolutely in love with it. I like the quick turnaround. I would love to be a part of it. The difference is incredible. I do this from home, and I can still schedule my kids’ bedtime and school schedule, and I still get two to four hours of sleep a day. So, as long as I’m still able to do all of these things, I see absolutely no reason for me to stop doing it. …Whether ITV and Peacock agree to it is a whole other matter, but I haven’t done anything crazy yet, so we’re good so far.
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New episodes of Love Island in the USA Low Thursday through Tuesday, with Love Island afternoon It is broadcast every Saturday. Check all THR‘s Love Island in the USA Season 8 coverage and interviews are here.
