Love Island is back tonight — here's everything you need to know
A new batch of islanders will enter the villa tonight
Love Island is back on our screens tonight, returning to South Africa for its winter series for the first time since the pandemic.
Here's everything you need to know.
The ninth series of the ITV dating show starts this Monday on ITV2 at 9pm.
Radio DJ Maya Jama, 28, has replaced Wicklow woman Laura Whitmore as the host of Love Island. You might recognise her from another reality show, Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star.
The Islanders will be heading to South Africa for the winter season, with the luxury villa on the Ludus Magnus estate in Franschhoek.
Ten islanders will enter the villa tonight, but there will be no Irish hopefuls among them (although former winner Greg O'Shea has hinted they’re still “looking in the Irish pool”). Among the first batch of contestants is...
Among the contestants is the first partially sighted islander, Ron Hall.
Hall said his eyes now have two different colours, blue and green after an accident which has “added to his character”.
The 25-year-old financial adviser, from Essex, added the injury has not “hindered” him and makes a “good conversation starter”.
He also said: “I’m the most genuine person you’ll meet. I’m genuine, caring and I’m a nice person – which you don’t find these days.”
The 25-year-old, from Luton is the ex-girlfriend of last year’s runner-up, Owen Warner.
The make-up artist said she “falls in love” easily and probably tells people she loves them in a week.
Jenkins added: “I don’t mind people texting me all the time but if you send me question marks if I’ve not replied to you in a while, you’re gone. That’s a really big red flag for me! Also if I see a guy trip over, that’s an instant turn-off.”
Jenkins says she has worked with celebrities for her job as a make-up artist and was in an episode of comedy show Benidorm as an extra when she lived in Spain when she was six.
The 26-year-old hair stylist from North London said she is “hard to get, funny, charismatic, good-looking, happy and loyal”.
Her celebrity crush is Magic Mike actor Channing Tatum because she does not like “pretty boys” as they have a “crap personality” which gives her “the ick”.
“(Channing is) manly and he can dance,” Revan added. “If a man can dance I’m in love with him straight away.”
(not the singer)
Young, 23, has racked up 1.1 million TikTok followers posting farming videos, said he has found it “difficult juggling relationships” while working at the farm and he is now “mature enough” to settle down with a wife.
He said he meditates “every night” for 20 to 25 minutes after a girl he was dating told him to start.
Young also added that he wants natural history broadcaster David Attenborough to play him shirtless while feeding animals in a movie about his life.
The 24-year-old airport security officer from London, England said he hasn't "had the best luck with previous relationships".
"So I thought, why not be in the sun and potentially meet the love of my life?"
Describing himself as a "loveable person" he said, "hopefully I do come out with my future wife".
The 27-year-old ring girl and actress from Brighton, England has never been in a relationship but says she feels she is "really ready to settle down" and find the love of her life.
“I’ll bring fun, vibes, I’m a very confident, bubbly person… maybe a little bit of drama," she said.
When asked why she thinks she’s single, Olivia responded, “Out of choice and maybe because in the past I’ve had commitment issues – but I’d say it’s mainly just the wrong boy, wrong time.”
The youngest contestant on the show, the 20-year-old payroll administrator, from Swansea, said she is on the show as her mother keeps “bugging” her to get a boyfriend.
The self-described chatterbox added: “I’m just excited to try something new and I think going on Love Island is a good way to meet someone.”
She said her worst date involved a guy “falling asleep” when she was speaking to him and she woke him up by clinking his wine glass.
Namani is a 21-year-old television salesman from Doncaster, England.
The confident chap said he is "not awkward, especially with the girls" and "anyone who meets me, I don’t think they have anything bad to say about me.
When asked why he thinks he’s single, Haris responded, “I’m not too sure. I’ve never been turned down by a girl. I know it can happen, but my strike rate is 100 percent. I’ve just not found the spark.”
Fagan, 24, from Manchester, said he is looking for the right girl and has “quite high expectations”.
The science and PE teacher, who plays semi-professional rugby for Burnage RFC, added: “I don’t feel I should commit to someone unless I’m absolutely buzzing over them, because it’s not fair on them.”
The Jamaican citizen added friends and family, who he said he always puts first, describe him as “chilled, caring, very impulsive and a good guy”.
The 22-year-old influencer and student of biomedical science said she is looking to find a boyfriend but not one that does not wear socks in the house or has big feet because that gives her “the ick”.
Manhenga, from Liverpool, who has vitiligo, added that her skin pigmentation is on her lip and there is a stripe in her hair.
She said: “Not many people know that but I think it’s quite cute. I don’t care about covering it up all the time, I think it’s a vibe.”
Love Island: Aftersun, the weekly spinoff show with behind-the-scenes clips and interviews with cast members and fans, will also return. It will be hosted by Maya Jama with regular panelists Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson, and former Love Island contestant Indiyah Polack. The show will air once a week on Sundays, right after the main show on ITV2.
We don't know of any changes to the format yet, but we do know that ITV has asked contestants to disable their social media accounts to protect both them and their families this year.
As part of the broadcaster’s duty of care policies, islanders will also receive “guidance and training” around “mutually respectful behaviour in relationships” after the last series prompted thousands of complaints to broadcasting watchdog Ofcom.
Many of the complaints related to “alleged misogynistic and bullying behaviour” by some islanders, although they were not upheld.
- Love Island returns at 9pm on Monday January 16 on ITV2 and ITVX.
