After those pathetic final dates, here are six signs the Love Island 2025 budget was cut

Where were the yachts and violinists?

4 hours ago

Love Island is over for another season and everyone had the same complaint about the final week – what happened to the 2025 budget?!

The last few days in the villa were… underwhelming. It was still a brilliant series full of drama and entertainment, but that was simply down to the exceptional cast.

Where were all the juicy challenges and extravagant dates? Here are six signs the Love Island budget was dramatically cut this year.

Credit: ITV

The final Love Island dates were in the villa

The biggest giveaway that the Love Island budget was cut was the final dates. Usually, the couples are sent on extravagant dates, like yacht trips, helicopter rides and clifftop dinners with musicians and rose petals. This year, the boys had to go out and buy presents from the local tat shops and cook their other half dinner, which they ate around the villa. It’s screaming no budget.

i can’t believe that was the final dates in Love Island — what happened to the budget?????

— HKT👽 (@hikmat_hkt) August 4, 2025

The speeches were absolutely tragic

After going on their last dates, the Love Islanders normally get all dressed up and the boys confess their love for their partner in a very dramatic speech. Think flower arches and full-on wedding vibes. For 2025, they sat around a table in the firepit and spoke some halfhearted words.

Credit: ITV

They all wore very basic outfits

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In previous years, the Islanders have been dressed up to the nines while giving their final speeches. Tuxedos and ballgowns – nothing less. Then, they do a grand reveal to their partners. They still did the grand reveal this year, but the outfits were so basic and cheap-looking. Harry was wearing a t-shirt, and the girls’ dresses looked like something they would wear on any other night.

There were hardly any challenges either

Another sign that the budget was cut this year was the lack of challenges. They promised dramatic new twists, but gave us exactly the same as always. In fact, I think there were actually less juicy challenges than ever before. Plus, most of the games were done inside the villa rather than in the challenge area.

Has cost of living crisis hit love island too because wdym no final dates, no declarations of love does the entire budget just cover the £50k or something 😭 #LoveIsland

— Maya (@mayaaaa18_) August 4, 2025

The girls didn’t even get a day out

Usually, the girls get a nice relaxing spa day just before the final, where they can have a drink and reminisce on their time in the villa. This year, that was nowhere to be seen, and the boys were the only ones who got to escape the villa while shopping for their partners. Did Love Island 2025 use up the entire budget on Tinie Tempah and Katy B?

There were hardly any dates, full stop

It’s not just the final dates where the budget seemed stingy, either. If you think back, there were actually hardly any dates throughout the entire series, except when bombshells came in. Jamie and Yas did a bit of paddleboarding, and that’s about as far as it went. Let’s hope 2026 is better.

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Featured image by: ITV