E! brings the heat this winter with the debut of sun-kissed reality series TEMPTATION ISLAND, premiering Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Launching nearly 18 years to the date of the premiere of its original, often controversial predecessor, the 11-episode, one-hour series follows four dating couples at a crossroads in their respective relationships as they embark on a journey to an island paradise in Maui. There, they must mutually decide if they are ready to spend the rest of their lives together or go their separate ways. Mark L. Walberg (Buried History with Mark Walberg), who hosted the first three seasons of the series, returns as host for the revival of the reality series pioneer.
“Addictive, steamy, and sometimes scandalous, the all-new TEMPTATION ISLAND is the perfect tentpole series for E!’s stacked January schedule, “said Pat DiVittorio, Vice-President, Programming, CTV and Specialty. “Alongside the already buzzed-about LINDSAY LOHAN’S BEACH CLUB, Tuesday nights on E! are sure to be a go-to stop for pop culture-obsessed viewers.”
Here are the TEMPTATION ISLAND couples putting their relationship to the ultimate test and coming to terms with their relationship’s fate:
Javen Butler (25) and Shari Ligons (25)
CURRENT CITY: San Francisco, CA
HOW THEY MET: High school sweethearts who met at the age of 16
HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN DATING: Eight years
ABOUT: High school sweethearts and best friends, Javen and Shari’s TEMPTATION ISLAND adventure is set to test their loyalty and love more than ever before. The couple went through a rough patch in college and now Shari struggles with trust after learning Javen cheated on her. As they head to tropical paradise, Shari hopes to rebuild the trust she once had in Javen, while Javen would like Shari to experience dating other men. Will Javen stray and cheat again, or will he prove he is a changed man?
Evan Smith (28) and Kaci Campbell (29)
CURRENT CITY: Los Angeles, CA
HOW THEY MET: Went to rival high schools and connected right before college
HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN DATING: On and off for 10 years; exclusive for the past five years
ABOUT: Evan and Kaci have grown up together, but it seems their ten-year relationship has hit a plateau. Kaci is ready for marriage and motherhood, while Evan says he’s ready but can’t bring himself to propose. Kaci’s patience is wearing thin and hopes their experience on TEMPTATION ISLAND will help them commit to the next stage of their lives.
Karl Collins (31) Nicole Tutewohl (25)
CURRENT CITY: Chicago, IL
HOW THEY MET: The gym
HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN DATING: Two-and-a-half years
ABOUT: With a shared interest in fitness, Karl and Nicole met at the gym while Nicole was in another relationship which eventually fizzled after meeting Karl. The couple has been together for two-and-a-half years, but have recently started to feel their relationship has gone a bit stale. Nicole sees Karl as her first true love, yet she questions what “real love” means. Will TEMPTATION ISLAND provide Nicole with the clarity she needs, or will she let herself get swept off her feet by another man?
John Thurmond (35) and Kady Cannon Krambeer (30)
CURRENT CITY: Fort Worth, TX
HOW THEY MET: The dating app Bumble
HOW LONG THEY HAVE BEEN DATING: Three years
ABOUT: Kady felt she had met her life-partner in John after meeting through the dating app, Bumble. After three years together, Kady is learning more about herself and John, and has started to question John’s masculinity, as she’s always wanted an “alpha dog”. With marriage in the question, Kady and John want to use this experience to learn more about themselves as individuals in hopes of strengthening their relationship together.
