The Cabins on ITV2: where is it filmed, who's in the cast with Sarah, Mamudo and Olivia - and who narrates it?

A new dating show dubbed “lockdown Love Island” is here to keep you going through the UK’s latest sets of tough coronavirus restrictions, as ITV2 brings us The Cabins.

The show sees contestants given 24 hours to find love locked inside a cosy lodge with a potential soulmate. After a day has passed, they’re given the chance to stay together as a couple, or “check out” of their cabin.

It began airing last week (4 January), though is not broadcast live; it was filmed last year under strict health and safety coronavirus protocols put in place by ITV.

This included contestants isolating at a hotel while awaiting Covid-19 test results, and any pre-show filming was carried out with minimal crew who all wore face masks and were regularly temperature checked throughout production.

Here is everything you need to know about the show.

How does The Cabins work?

According to ITV, the new dating show is all about singletons “ditching the dating apps, giving up the ghosting and casting off the catfishers in favour of spending 24-hours getting to know each other in an intimate log cabin.”

Each cabin boasts “a hot tub, games, romantic outdoor seating and fully equipped kitchens to rustle up date-worthy treats,” and ITV promise “awkward silences and difficult dating conversations” among the “heartfelt moments or declarations of love.”

The show is based on ITV Studios’ ‘Let Love Rule’ format, and while it’s the first time the programme has been seen in the UK, it's already found success on mainland Europe.

A second series was recently broadcast in the Netherlands – where the show is a “huge success”, with the episode count topping 100 on each run – and the programme also made its Swedish debut in recent months.

Where is it filmed?

The exact locations where the titular accommodation of the programme resides is unknown at the time of writing, and ITV themselves haven’t been any more specific than saying they’re “nestled in the UK.”

But despite the vagueness of those words, some eagle eyed fans think they’ve worked out where The Cabins could be.

Some have speculated that filming could have taken place at the Hidden River Cabins in Cumbria, which are located on a private estate near the Lake District, and bear a striking resemblance to those featured on the show.

Of course, this is purely conjecture, and ITV have not confirmed where the show’s production has been taking place.

Who’s in the cast?

So far, viewers have been introduced to 12 of the hopeful singles looking to find love in their log cabins.

21-year old architecture student Abraham announced ahead of the show that he’d be bringing his guitar to The Cabins in order to show off his musical chops – ‘Wonderwall’ anyone?

The entrepreneurial Holly – the 23-year old lists cabin crew, make-up artist and influencer among her job titles – described her pre-Cabins love life as a “shambles”, saying “I don’t have any luck with lads.”

Sporty football coach Mamudo said he was looking forward to escaping the everyday distractions of life during his time in The Cabins, and is looking for someone who can “match his energy” and has a celebrity crush on a well-known presenter.

Doncaster’s Robyn is hoping to end a four-year dry spell in The Cabins, and the 26-year old is hoping any partner she does meet will be able to take her to see her beloved Chelsea in the near future.

Jess describes herself as the “life of the party” and an “adrenaline junkie”, but spends her working life in the local pub and bingo hall; the 24-year old is looking for someone who can bring a similar level of energy.

26-year old Sarah’s bulging CV lists her as a waitress, a murder mystery actress, a personal trainer, and a fitness model, which leaves one wondering how she finds the time to pursue the “book worm types” she admits to liking.

Tom’s certainly playing the game, with the 26-year old describing his ideal first date as “a big blanket, fire and a chocolate fondue” (he’s knows what he’s doing), and is looking for someone he “can have a laugh with, play games, talk rubbish, have a laugh.”

Beauty pageant star Sofia describes her love-life as “tragic”, and the 21-year old recounts a tale in which she inadvertently set herself on fire with a candelabra, but her date didn’t mention it. Hopefully any potential suitors will be more health and safety focused in The Cabins.

28-year old will says trying to find someone who likes him is like “trying to stand up in a hammock”, and is looking for someone to have a laugh with.

Olivia works in customer service for a mobile company, and is hoping her people-pleasing demeanour will help her out in The Cabins; she says she’s never really had an “amazing date”.

Welsh bin man Joel is looking for “someone outside of Swansea”, and describes himself as “fun, cheeky” and “sometimes annoying’”.

An operations manager for a coffee company, 29-year old Charlotte’s friends call her “picky”, but she says she’s looking for the right person after previously being engaged.

Who narrates it?

Since Iain Stirling brought his personality to Love Island with his trademark Scottish burr, the narration of ITV2 dating shows is just as entertaining as what’s happening on screen.

Tasked with the envious job of providing comedy to The Cabins is award-winning comedian Maisie Adam.

The North Yorkshire comedian won the won the Amused Moose National New Comic Award at the 2018 Edinburgh, and she has appeared on episodes of 8 Out of 10 Cats, Mock the Week, QI, and Have I Got News for You.

When can I watch it?

New episodes of The Cabins air on ITV2 each night at 9pm.

Previous episodes of the series are available to catch up through ITV Hub.