The scandal-filled reality show "Ex on the Beach" is making a comeback after a six-year absence. It's returning in a cleaner form than before, which has caused several previously skeptical participants to change their minds about the concept.
They explained that it would be different, more mature and not so focused on drinking and fighting. Then I thought "why not?", says Cornelia Gyllborg.
“That was enough”
This year's cast of "Ex on the Beach" features a higher average age than before. They are also encouraged to look for love on the show, rather than brooding over old grievances with the ex-partners who appear.
"I've been on four dating shows before and I really felt that was enough. I'm 36 years old and I see myself as a calm person who doesn't need to date on TV, but at the same time I want to find love," says Angelo Jovic.
He has previously appeared on shows such as "Bachelorette" and "Bachelor in Paradise." Most of this year's contestants have a background in one of the dating shows, but Levin Larsson is known as the winner of "Farmen" in 2024. Cornelia Gyllborg also participated there - and the two had a complicated relationship in the programme.
"We didn't end on good terms in Farmen, so I was terrified when I saw her and thought that now she's going to talk shit about me to all the girls and then it's over. I got a lump in my stomach," he says.
But the two talked it out and worked out all the kinks. Instead, they focused on trying to find love - in someone else.
"I don't think I've talked about emotions as much in my entire life as I did during the month I was down there," says Levin Larsson.
No real ex
Already in the first episode, an unusual scene occurs when Fanny Franke enters the house and Victor Hemby claims that she is his ex - something Fanny disputes.
"It was a total shock to me - we hadn't done anything. Not even a kiss had happened between us. I started to doubt myself, thinking, 'Am I senile?'" she says.
The situation that arises takes many turns to unravel and creates a lot of drama during the first few episodes.
"For me, it was strange. It felt a bit like I had forgotten we had a thing, but it was an afterthought on his part," says Fanny Franke.
In 2020, the ninth season of "Ex on the Beach" was broadcast, this time as a "celebrity version" after previously featuring some unknown participants.
A new season was planned to be filmed in 2021, but was scrapped on the grounds that "viewers don't want such a program right now."
At that time, "Paradise Hotel" had been canceled in the middle of the current season after allegations of sexual assault, and the time for scandalous soap operas was predicted to be over.
Since then, "Paradise Hotel" has made a comeback in a "woke" variant - and has since returned to its original concept in a more streamlined form.
Spring participants: Cornelia Gyllborg, 31, Victor Hemby, 31, Sara Engerdahl, 25, Angelo Jovic, 36, Fanny Franke, 27, Simon Lindström, 34, Victoria Eklund, 30, Levin Larsson, 35, Cindy Cicak, 35, Dennis Mlivic, 27, Emma Päivärinta, 28, Malte Grkovic, 31, Isabella Strömmer, 34, Niklas Åkerlund, 31, Oliver Wong, 35, Izabella Andersson, 32, Patrice Emedi, 30, Simon Liljeström, 34.
