The future of Love Island Australia season three has been thrown into disarray due to a COVID outbreak in the production team, who are based in Byron Bay as they prepare for filming to begin.
Earlier this week, a member of production arrived in Byron Bay after traveling there from Sydney and returned a positive test for COVID during routine production testing.
The woman reportedly visited a number of venues following her arrival, which breached current exemption guidelines, which state she should have remained isolated upon arrival, and only leave her accommodation for working duties.
She also reportedly failed to check in with QR codes at each venue.
The future of Love Island Australia season three has been thrown into disarray due to a COVID outbreak in the production team.
(Image: Nine)Her positive test has led to a seven-day snap lockdown in the Byron Bay and Tweed shires.
An insider told So Dramatic that while I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! had wrapped filming in the region, Love Island was due to begin this weekend, with members of the Celebrity crew staying on to work on the third season of Nine’s hit show.
Both are produced by ITV.
The insider also divulged that multiple crew members have now returned positive COVID tests, which will halt production, either causing major delays to the show or resulting in its ultimate cancellation.
An insider divulged that multiple crew members have now returned positive COVID tests, either causing major delays to the show or resulting in its ultimate cancellation.
(Image: Nine)The Mayor of Byron Shire, Michael Lyon, expressed disappointment in the situation, and accused the production teams of “bringing COVID to the region”.
“I am looking into our options this morning to rescind Council approval for the Love Island production, from the same studios that brought I’m a Celebrity, and Covid, to the region,” he wrote in a statement on Facebook yesterday.
While ITV has council approval to film for longer than 30 days, ministerial approval has not yet been given, and the team may not receive it in the wake of the outbreak.
“I’d say it is unlikely to proceed,” Mr Lyon added.
The Mayor of Byron Shire, Michael Lyon, expressed disappointment in the situation, and accused the production teams of “bringing COVID to the region”.
(Image: Getty)A spokesperson for Nine told WHO that “We are working with production and authorities as we find a way to deliver our show for our audience.”
ITV has also spoken in the wake of the drama, saying in a statement that “We take our CovidSAFE plan extremely seriously. The health, safety and welfare of the community, as well as our cast and crew, is our number one priority.”
The future of the show remains to be seen.
This article was originally published on our sister site WHO.
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