Temptation Island's third-season premiere and cast of four new couples have been announced by USA Network.
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Mark L. Walberg is set to return as host, and four new couples will be heading to Maui, Hawaii to test the potential and longevity of their respective romantic relationships.
Temptation Island's four new couples include Los Angeles-based couple Erica Washington, a 24-year-old personal assistant, and Kendal Kirkland, a 26-year-old business owner as well as San Diego-based couple Erin Smith, a 24-year-old behavioral therapist and Corey Sobczyk, a 25-year-old concierge manager.
The show will also feature New Jersey-based couple Kristen Ramos, a 26-year-old physical therapist and Julian Allen, a 26-year-old personal trainer as well as West Hollywood-based couple Chelsea Orcutt, a 29-year-old marketing coordinator, and Thomas Gipson, a 37-year-old investment trader.
Erica and Kendal were dating for two years when they signed up for the show, and Erin and Corey had been involved for one-and-a-half years.
Chelsea and Thomas had been dating one year before Temptation Island, and Kristen and Julian were together for a whopping 11 years!
Similar to the show's first two seasons on USA Network, Temptation Island 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.
Once the four couples touch down in Maui, they will be joined by 24 eligible men and women. The 24 singles will be announced at a later date.
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The couples in established relationships must determine whether they want to live the "single life" or if being single again is exactly what they don't want.
Temptation Island originally debuted on Fox two decades ago. Mark also served as host when the original series -- the granddaddy of train-wreck relationship reality TV shows -- premiered in 2001 on Fox.
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Temptation Island's basic concept -- tempting couples to cheat on their partner -- was considered controversial when it originally premiered in 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.
Big Brother and Survivor had only premiered on CBS six months earlier in Summer 2000, and ABC's 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 2003, and even the 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.
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.
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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.
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USA Network's reboot of Temptation Island premiered in January 2019, and Season 2 on the new network aired in the fall of that year and concluded in December 2019.
Season 3's production had originally been expected earlier, however its filming was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Temptation Island is being produced by Banijay Studios North America, with David Goldberg, Dan Morando and Trifari Williams serving as executive producers.
Below is more USA Network-supplied information on Temptation Island's Season 3 cast:
- Erica Washington and Kendal Kirkland from Los Angeles, CA
Erica and Kendal have been dating for two-and-a-half years, and while she is confident that he is the man for her, Kendal still questions if Erica is the one.
As a successful business owner, Kendal wants a partner who can keep up with him personally and professionally but he has concerns whether she fits into his future.
Meanwhile, Erica feels underappreciated in the relationship and hopes this experience brings them one step closer to an engagement and proves to Kendal that the grass isn't always greener.
Temptation Island is an opportunity for Kendal to test the waters and determine if there is a woman out there who could possibly live up to his high standards or if he should finally get down on one knee.
- Erin Smith and Corey Sobczyk from San Diego, CA
Erin and Corey have been dating for 1.5 years and although their relationship started strong, cracks in the foundation have begun to form.
A former pro-soccer player, Erin is used to dating professional athletes and has a bad habit of comparing every guy she dates to her ex-boyfriends. Corey feels belittled and underappreciated by Erin and has lost his swagger and confidence.
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- Kristen Ramos and Julian Allen from Sewell, NJ
High school sweethearts, Kristen and Julian have been together for 11 years. Although they have been dating for longer than most couples, something is keeping them from taking the next step in their relationship.
Julian has cheated twice and fully owns his mistakes, but he wonders if there will ever be a time when Kristen no longer holds his indiscretions against him. Although Julian might be ready to propose, he's terrified that if he does, he may not get the answer he wants.
Kristen is also unsure if her hesitation about moving forward with the relationship is about her inability to let go of the past, or fear of embracing the future. Will Temptation Island help them overcome their hesitation or will it make them realize that, even after all this time, they just aren't meant to be?
- Chelsea Orcutt and Thomas Gipson from West Hollywood, CA
Introduced by a mutual friend, Thomas started dating Chelsea after he slid into her DMs. Together for over a year, they both agree that when they are alone, it's smooth sailing, but anytime they're in a social situation, Thomas' natural charm and flirtatious nature kick in and Chelsea's jealousy and possessiveness go through the roof.
Thomas has been commitment-phobic in the past. In fact, Chelsea is his first genuinely serious relationship and there's no question that his history feeds into her insecurities.
Although Thomas wants to put Chelsea's fears of infidelity to rest, he also wants her to learn to accept him for the social, outgoing person he is, rather than expecting him to dim his light. Will Chelsea's worst fears come true on Temptation Island?
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
