Yes, the latest season of Love Island is being filmed in Cape Town.

Upper Constantia, to be exact, at a property owned by 50-year-old Italian tycoon Luca Bechis.

The fancy location hasn’t stopped the show’s producers from being rather worried about security, and earlier in the week we reported that armed guards were being hired to patrol the property’s perimeter during filming to avoid any potential threats.

As someone who would rather cut off my small toe than watch Love Island, I couldn’t care less, but I know some good people who watch the show, so let’s soldier on.

Also, the latest developments are sure to create all kinds of wild headlines over in the UK, and the last thing we need is Poms taking their pounds elsewhere and the tourism industry suffering as a result.

OK, let’s get to the murder of Extreme Security Measures owner Tim Lotter, who was shot dead in Goodwood on Sunday evening in what is believed to be a hit connected with the underworld.

When the story was first reported on Channel24 earlier today, the headline made a tangible link between Lotter and the show itself, implying that he was involved with security for Love Island.

That headline has now been amended to read “Security boss shot dead as Love Island kicks off filming in Cape Town”.

More from the Channel24 story:

…the show’s producers are now in a panic after things went horribly awry on Sunday evening when the head of private security company, Extreme Security Measures owner Tim Lotter, was reportedly shot dead.

Love Island PR reps have stated that there is no connection between Lotter and the show, but I’m sure the news of a security underworld ‘hit’ wouldn’t have put their minds at ease.

Here’s what we do know about Lotter’s murder, via IOL:

Witnesses said they heard what sounded like a machine gun being fired. He was shot multiple times and the bakkie he was driving was riddled with bullets.

The perpetrator wearing a balaclava allegedly climbed out of a grey BMW and fired at the bakkie fatally wounding Lotter and sped away from the scene.

Leon Knipe/African News Agency(ANA)

It was alleged that Lotter’s security company had ties with the underworld and that the Sexy Boys gang was behind this attack.

It is believed that Lotter had left the Sexy Boys for a rival security company, also controlled by underworld figures, which would have resulted in a loss of revenue for the gang.

Journalist Mandy Wiener, who is well versed in the Cape underworld, shared these images:

A Cape Town nightclub security boss was shot dead near N1 City yesterday. Gunned down, several shots fired. The man, whose name is known, was responsible for bouncers at several high profile city bars and clubs. pic.twitter.com/8ZD86KjRlH

— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) January 6, 2020

The headlines from many overseas media outlets are already going to town.

UK-based Heart is running “Winter Love Island villa set amidst ‘rampant’ gang wars that killed security boss”, the Mirror goes with “Love Island £5.3m villa is surrounded by dangerous gangs as security boss shot dead”, and the Daily Mail says the villa is “caught up in rampant gang war following recent nightclub shooting”.

Lotter was found dead more than 20 kilometres from the villa.

Another crime is about to be carried out, with the first episode of Love Island airing in the UK this Sunday, January 12.

[sources:channel24&iol]