Cape Greco. Ayia Napa. Nissi Beach. This British TV series was filmed almost entirely in Cyprus.
To be honest, I can’t say I love you Love RatBut I love looking at our island on the small screen, exclaiming: “Wow, the sea caves!” and “Look, that’s the sculpture park! I’ve been there!”
The four-episode drama, which will air on Britain’s Channel 5 in May, follows Emma (played by Sally Lindsay), a woman in her 50s from Stockport, who travels to the island of Cyprus to find herself after her divorce.
Soon (they have sex within the first 20 minutes of episode one!) she meets a charming suitor named Niko, who claims to be a hotel owner. Dreamy dinners at familiar restaurants, moonlit walks on the sands of Fig Tree Bay, secret kisses on the shores of Protaras…
so far, Shirley ValentineBut things soon take a dark turn when Emma discovers that her new love has scammed her out of all her money.
It’s a great premise, but it’s unlikely to do much for Cyprus’ reputation, and as Emma embarks on a desperate mission to get her money back, all the ingredients of a great psychological thriller are in place.
Unfortunately the plot, writing and characters are all terrible. Poorly written is an understatement, with the dialogue, actions and reactions being almost completely unbelievable and Cyprus being portrayed as a den of thieves and a haven of vice.
On the other hand, if you know the island well, this won’t be an issue. Love Rat It’s worth it just to see the local scenery and the terrible mistakes…
For example, Emma arrives in Napa from the east, even though there are only two international airports on the west side, most Cypriots have a stronger Athenian accent than Ayia Napa, and the clubs the couple visit seem to be filled with mostly teenage Eastern Europeans (to be honest, this may be real, but I’m too old to know!).
Plus, there’s the fun in the sun aspect: there are probably countless divorcees in Stockport right now dreaming of a whirlwind romance on Love Island, many of whom might even give up their life savings for such an experience…
