This year's season is reminiscent of the old "Paradise hotel", according to the host Rebecca Stella.
If we rewind the tape a few years back, many "all stars" have always been brought in. Now, those who have not been involved before have dared to take up much more space, says Stella and promises "many new stars" in this season.
"New tactic"
One of this year's participants is Jessica Sandberg, 27, from Växsjö, who says that "Paradise hotel" is the "absolute most fun thing she has done".
My strategy was to be myself. I have very easy time talking to people. So I thought I would just become friends with everyone so that no one wants to send me out. But if I had done it again, I would have had a new tactic, she says and laughs.
Allegations of sexual abuse in "Paradise Hotel" 2021 led to the season being scrapped and a police investigation being initiated, but later dropped. A more sanitized production called "Paradise" premiered in 2022. The program was panned as boring and called "PK-hotel".
"Good system for consent"
In 2024, the tried-and-true "PH" concept was back, but with an updated system to ensure consent, where a person from the production separates the participants and confirms that they feel comfortable.
It's a really good system because then it's not like you wake up the next day and think no, I did something I don't want to. Then you can of course regret the person you have been with, but it's not like it just happens when you're drunk, says Jessica Sandberg.
Nicholas Wallner, 23, from Halmstad, has participated in both "Paradise" and the new season of "PH" and means that the difference is clear:
Now it's a billion times more to drink, says Wallner, who is pleased that he "has offered a damn show".
During the summer, he has worked at the nightclub Grabbarna Grus on Rhodos, where several of the "PH" participants have continued to party and create drama.
In Rhodos, it felt like an extension of "Paradise hotel" but without cameras, says Wallner, who has a bar tour in Sweden planned. He says he has drunk alcohol every day for four months.
I sleep a few hours and then I take maybe a pick-me-up in the morning. I didn't think it was tough to party every day.
In the spring of 2021, two women reported that they had been subjected to sex crimes in connection with the recording of the TV program "Paradise hotel" in Mexico. The incident was reported to the police for the first time when viewers and media drew attention to the content six months after the incident itself.
An investigation was initiated and a man was suspected of rape and sexual harassment. The man was sent home from the recording, but the criminal investigation was later dropped. In parallel with the police report, an internal investigation was conducted into how the production on site in Mexico handled the events.
After the allegations, the entire season of "Paradise hotel" was removed from the platforms Viaplay and Viafree. The Swedish Work Environment Authority initiated an inspection of the production company Mastiff due to the events.
Before the 2022 season, trans person Tone Sekelius became the new host and a number of changes were introduced. Among other things, participants no longer need to form pairs with the opposite sex, it is not a requirement to be single to apply to the program, and the bedrooms have two single beds instead of a double bed.
Non-binary participant Pedro Lima won "Paradise" together with Linnéa Sundberg. But the program received criticism from reality fans and critics for being too boring. The second season of "Paradise" was not broadcast on Viaplay but was instead released on the streaming service Pluto TV.
In January 2024, it was announced that a new season would be recorded according to the old concept and "go back to the roots".
This year, some familiar faces are returning. Both Moa Melin, 25, and Victoria Engström, 22, from last season are now back as jokers. The new season will also get its own studio program: "Paradise hotel - aftertalk" with Henrik Borg.
