Temptation Island is being revived by USA Network, and its premiere has been announced.

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USA Network has revealed the reboot of Temptation Island, which was considered scandalous when it debuted on Fox nearly 18 years ago, will premiere on the network on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 10PM ET/PT.

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The 10-episode series will be hosted by Mark L. Walberg, who also served as host when the original series -- the granddaddy of train-wreck relationship reality TV shows -- premiered in 2001 on Fox.

Similar to the show's original seasons, USA Network's Temptation Island reboot will follow four dating couples at a pivotal time in their relationships in which they must decide whether to stay committed to each other for the rest of their lives or go their separate ways.

The couples will travel together to the tropical paradise of Maui, Hawaii, where they will join 24 eligible men and women.

While there, the couples will be able to live the "single life" and be able to determine whether or not being single is exactly what they want.

Temptation Island is being executive produced by Banijay Studios North America's David Goldberg and Caroline Baumgard, with Scott Jeffress also serving in that capacity.

"In a period of revival television, the return of Temptation Island, a show that leapt onto the scene with equal parts ratings bang and media attention, makes all the sense in the world," Goldberg said in a statement.

"Temptation Island retains key format elements, but a concerted effort was made to populate the island with singles genuinely looking for love whose personalities are appealing to the four couples who are questioning the long term viability of their relationships."

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Goldberg concluded, "Temptation Island has never been more relevant because in so many ways it mirrors the way singles and couples navigate today's myriad of options to connect."

Temptation Island is intended to spark intrigue, debate and conversation, according to USA Network executive Chris McCumber.

Banijay Studios had announced plans to reboot Temptation Island back in June and reports that USA Network was in negotiations for the show surfaced shortly thereafter, however the network had not announced the pickup until now. 

Temptation Island's basic concept -- tempting couples to cheat on their partner -- was considered controversial when it originally premiered in January 2001 given the reality TV genre was still in its infancy at the time and largely focused on concepts considered tame by today's standards. (Scroll down to watch a video of the show's original Fox promotional commercial!)

Big Brother and Survivor had only premiered on CBS six months earlier in Summer 2000, and ABC's March 2002 debut of The Bachelor was still more than a year away.

Joe Millionaire -- which was also produced by Temptation Island's producers -- would also only premiere on Fox two years later, in January 2003, and even the June 2002 debut of American Idol, the ratings goliath that would come to dominate the broadcast network for over a decade, was nearly 18 months away.

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In addition, Temptation Island also generated additional headlines and buzz when one of the season's couples, Ytossie Patterson and Taheed Watson, were kicked off after producers allegedly discovered they had not disclosed they had a two-year-old child, violating casting requirements that the couples not have children.

Temptation Island's first season was a huge ratings hit and averaged nearly 17 million viewers over the course of its seven-episode season.

Fox then quickly renewed it for a second season that premiered in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in November 2001 and struggled in the ratings, resulting in the network shelving plans for additional Temptation Island seasons. 

However, in January 2003 Fox announced it was reviving Temptation Island for a third season which ended up premiering in late August of that year.

Unfortunately, that six-episode season of Temptation Island also flopped in the ratings, and the reality series never returned -- until now.


About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski

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