While backstabbing and catty behaviour is typically a cornerstone of any reality show, on the inaugural season of “Love in the Wild” many of the contestants hit it off and found romantic bliss right from the get go.

But on Season 2, which premieres Tuesday, June 5 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV, new host Jenny McCarthy says that’s all about to change … at least where the drama is concerned.

“I was watching the first season and I thought to myself, ‘Uh-oh,’ because even though you want people to fall in love you still want to see some drama, you know? And what the producers did this year was add in twists,” McCarthy tells CTV.ca during a recent conference call. 

“They changed things up and (forced) people to look at each other and mingle at the cabins, if you will. So without a doubt it was successful because during the couple's choice ceremony you guys will see me say, ‘Oh my God, no way.’ And I'm without a doubt shocked at every (one).”

“Love in the Wild” is a dating series where seven single men and seven single women compete in a series of adventures (everything from jumping off a 40-foot cliff to jumping ropes with snakes) in the tropical paradise of the Dominican Republic, all while trying to make a romantic connection.

After each week’s challenge, the contestants will attend the “couple’s choice ceremony” where they have to decide whether to stay with their current partner for another week or switch to someone else (often much to the surprise of one member of the couple). The singles who did not make a connection will be sent home heartbroken.

“(It’s) kind of like the tribal council and that's where I got to be the ringleader in trying to pull out information of what's been going on, on the falling in love scale,” says McCarthy.

The couple who finished first will spend the night at the luxurious “Oasis” estate, with all the fixings for a romantic night, while the remaining couples will stay in the less than glamorous cabins, tents or the dreaded “lean-to,” depending on where they ranked in the challenge.

“It's a wood-plank floor with a leaf over their heads and no walls and we had so many mosquitoes and usually everyone woke up and had at least 50 mosquito bites just on their face. So we decided to do that this year to make the couples really try hard in the adventure so they wouldn't want to come in last place,” says McCarthy.

The stakes are high as at the end of the season the winning couple will win a trip around the world with their new partner, and of course, love.

“You are not going to want to be with someone that you don't like because that would be, to me, a trip from hell. So I enjoyed the fact that the couples realized that and (if they didn’t want to go around the world with someone) they would get rid of them. So to me it was the perfect prize for the show,” says McCarthy.

The series, which was previously shot in Costa Rica, currently has a 100 per cent success rate, as McCarthy says last year’s winning pair, Mike and Samantha, as well as runners-up Miles and Heather, are currently still together and very much in love.

McCarthy says the reason why she thinks the contestants were able to make a real connection is because the format of the show allows them to see all sides of their new partner, unlike other dating reality series.

“As any of us knows when we do something with our partner that's very difficult we get cranky, we get bossy, we (play the) victim, so by forcing this upon these couples, you do get to see all the colours of the people. So that's why I think we will continue to see success rates and I know (that happens) even in this season -- hint, hint,” she says with a laugh.

She adds she is extremely happy with the show’s outcome.  

“I was literally saying prayers for no rain and for certain couples to really fall in love and it worked and it happened and I can't wait for everyone to find out who it is.”
 

 About Sheri Block

Sheri Block has been covering entertainment for CTV.ca since 2008. In addition to covering Will and Kate’s Royal Wedding in London, Sheri’s highlights have included going on tour with “Canadian Idol,” being a stand-in on “Canada’s Next Top Model” and meeting Colin Farrell at the Toronto International Film Festival.Follow her on Twitter!