Every year when dating shows like Love Island USA return and take over the internet, a perennial question resurfaces: Where are the gays? A queer Love Island may not exist, but there is an answer to the sapphic-shaped hole in reality TV: I Kissed a Girl.
In 2023, the BBC debuted a landmark LGBTQ+ reality franchise, releasing the U.K.’s first-ever gay dating show, I Kissed a Boy, followed by its lesbian version, I Kissed a Girl. Both series were critically praised and found passionate fanbases, with the latter receiving notable love for its groundbreaking representation of sapphic culture. Though Korea and Japan hold the crown for wholesome-yet-messy reality hits, I Kissed a Girl proves that the country that gave us Love Island can also release much less blood-pressure-raising fare.
If any of the above has piqued your interest, your watchlist is in luck. Read on for our breakdown of I Kissed a Girl and how U.S. viewers can tune in.
Australian sister Dannii Minogue hosts both I Kissed a Girl and I Kissed a Boy.
(Image credit: BBC/TwoFour)
What is the reality show ‘I Kissed a Girl?’
Hosted by LGBTQ+ ally (and Kylie’s little sister) Dannii Minogue and lesbian narrator Charley Marlowe, I Kissed a Girl can be considered a sapphic, more low-key version of Love Island. It starts with 10 queer women arriving at an Italian masseria—a fortified farmhouse unique to Puglia, Italy—where pre-planned pairs immediately smooch on their first meeting to test their compatibility.
The couples are then left to flirt, build their connections, and possibly catch someone else’s eye as they all live together. The dating-show gameplay includes the standard themed parties and challenges, or “chemistry tests,” that stir up drama; reveals where new singles enter the masseria; and “Kiss Off” ceremonies that end in elimination. The final test is whether they’ll commit to continuing their romance outside the masseria by kissing one last time in front of their families(!) who’ve been flown out for the finale.
While there are more exciting shows that focus on producer-contrived drama, I Kissed a Girl is made for the reality-TV sociologists who want to observe how the singles move through their romances. Many lovely moments also move LGBTQ+ representation on TV beyond tired stereotypes, such as discussions on the intersections of queerness and race.
The cast of I Kissed a Girl season 2, from left: Faye, Nikita, Elise, Tyra, Elisha, Lindsey, Ashlea, Ebony, Renee, Imogen.
(Image credit: BBC/TwoFour/James Stack)
When does ‘I Kissed a Girl’ season 2 come out in the U.K.?
After its acclaimed May 2024 debut, I Kissed a Girl began its second season on Tuesday, June 23, 2026. After dropping four episodes on the 23rd, the dating show will release two episodes at a time for the rest of its run, with drops arriving on BBC iPlayer every Tuesday at 6 a.m. BST.
According to PinkNews, I Kissed a Girl season 2 will have 10 episodes total, with the season finale expected to air on July 14, 2026.
How can I watch ‘I Kissed a Girl’ in the U.S.?
Thankfully for U.S. viewers, I Kissed a Girl and I Kissed a Boy are both available to stream stateside on Hulu. However, it hasn’t been announced when season 2 will land on Hulu—and subscribers will likely have to wait. The queer dating show arrived on the streaming giant in late August 2024, a couple of months after it aired on the BBC.
If you’re the impatient type or don’t want to get spoiled by an IG reel, I Kissed a Girl season 2 is streaming without delay on BBC iPlayer, free with a TV license. If you don’t have a VPN, you can use one like Nord VPN.
Lisha, Abbie, Fiorenza and Meg from I Kissed a Girl season 2.
(Image credit: BBC/TwoFour)
Will there be an ‘I Kissed a Girl’ season 3?
Unfortunately, I Kissed a Girl season 2 will be its final installment. In March 2026, the BBC announced that both I Kissed a Girl and I Kissed a Boy would come to an end with their second seasons.
“We are exceptionally proud of I Kissed A Boy/Girl, the U.K.’s first dating show for the LGBTQ+ community,” a BBC spokesperson said at the time. “We would like to thank our fabulous Cupid Dannii Minogue and the entire team at [production company] Twofour for bringing the series to screen. Unfortunately, we have to make difficult choices in light of our funding challenges, and there are no current plans for the show to return.”
Fans have since called for other networks to consider reviving the show and started a petition directed toward the BBC that has racked up over 20,000 signatures. For now, new viewers can enjoy the three (and soon four) franchise seasons airing on Hulu.
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