Ulrika Jonsson takes credit for middle-aged Love Island and puts herself forward to present ITV spin-off-Sabrina Barr-Entertainment – Metro

The former Gladiators presenter fancies a job on the show. (Picture: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)

Ulrika Jonsson feels that she deserves full credit for the recently-announced middle-aged Love Island series, while throwing her hat in the ring to host.

Earlier this month, ITV announced that it was officially launching a spin-off of the popular reality dating show geared towards contestants of an older demographic.

Titled The Romance Retreat, the casting call for the show said: ‘ITV1 are looking for vibrant single parents from across the UK who are in search of love, for a brand new dating show!

‘This is the ONLY dating show where single parents can search for love, by spending time in a luxury retreat, where all the parents have been nominated by their grown up children.’

Ulrika, who presented Gladiators from 1992 to 2000, responded to the news in a column by saying that the broadcasting company ‘has heeded my pleas for a brand new kind of Love Island’.

‘It was announced this week the channel is going ahead with a version of the show featuring older, single parents. I’ll take full credit, if I may,’ she wrote in The Sun, stating that she’s voiced her opinion on the topic in the paper on several occasions in the past.

Ulrika said that Maya is the ‘best thing’ about Winter Love Island (Picture: Jonathan Hordle/Shutterstock)

‘Watching the current series featuring the twentysomethings confirms why a different take on the show, with middle-age men and women instead, is such a brilliant, genius idea (of mine). You’re welcome,’ she added.

On the current series of Love Island, which is being filmed in a plush villa in South Africa, the oldest contestant is 27-year-old Olivia Hawkins, while the youngest is currently 22-year-old Tanya Mahenga, after 20-year-old Anna-May Robey was dumped from the series.

Ulrika, 55, went on to shower new host Maya Jama, 28, with praise, saying that she’s the ‘best thing’ about Winter Love Island.

As for who should host the middle-aged spin-off, the former weather presenter stressed that she believes she has ‘hands-on experience’ of the ‘wilderness’ of dating apps.

She concluded her column with a direct message to ITV, highlighting that she has her passport at the ready, is willing to travel and has presenting skills.

Ed Balls recently put himself forward to star on the older version of the programme despite being married, before having a little flirt with Ulrika on live TV.

‘If you like Ulrika, maybe after the show we can go over there for a conversation?’ he said on Good Morning Britain, referencing how the islanders frequently take each other for private chats in the villa.

‘He’s not giving up, is he?’ she exclaimed in response.

Love Island returns on Sunday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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