New Delhi: Love Island reels may be dominating social media feeds worldwide, but reality TV romance is losing popularity, research by Ampere Analysis shows. Instead, viewers are turning to romance dramas, increasingly adapted from novels.
According to the UK-based data analysis company, 83 per cent of romance shows in the first half of 2026 were scripted. This is a significant jump from 2022, which saw an even split between scripted and reality romance programming.
After the success of Heated Rivalry and Off Campus, streaming platforms are betting big on romance novels.
“The continued success of these titles has encouraged global streamers to rethink their commissioning approach to new romance content, moving away from reality TV and towards higher-budget scripted shows with established fan bases,” said Mariana Enriquez Denton Bustinza, Senior Analyst at Ampere.
Amazon and Netflix account for half of the overall romance shows, the majority of which are produced in the US.
It all happens on BookTok
Since Bridgerton first released in 2020, the hunger for romance dramas doesn’t seem to have abated. While the popularity of other genres has fallen, love stories remain a favourite among TV viewership.
Ampere credits BookTok for the phenomenon. Novels that generate conversations on TikTok and Instagram are picked up by streaming platforms. The survey by the UK-based data company found that the viewing choices of nearly one-third of the young (18-24 years old) respondents were influenced by social media.
“The growth of social media has given rise to communities with shared interests, such as BookTok, which is transforming how young audiences discover, engage with, and share cultural content,” Ampere said.
The new findings suggest that the post-Heated Rivalry world doesn’t have as strong an appetite for reality romance.
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