THREE years on from the first series, Winter Love Island’s back for another visit to South Africa.
But what happened to the OGs?
PAIGE TURLEY & FINN TAPP
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Series one winners, Scottish singer Paige, 25 – who dated Lewis Capaldi at college – and former footballer Finn, 23, stole our hearts after getting together on day six.
Despite producers’ hopes for drama – and spirited attempts from the girls in Casa Amor – Finn’s head wasn’t to be turned, although Paige was left upset after a misleading story in the News Splash game implied he had strayed (prompting more than 377 complaints to Ofcom).
After scooping the £50k prize, the couple dashed 400 miles to quarantine together before lockdown restrictions kicked in, and they remain shacked up to this day in their swanky Manchester pad.
Paige is working on her music, while Finn signed a deal with a modelling agency.
In a recent interview they admitted to “getting engaged all the time”, so expect wedding bells soon.
LUKE TROTMAN & SIÂNNESE FUDGE
Runners-up to Paige and Finn were former beauty consultant Siânnese, 28, and cheeky 25-year-old Luke T.
Unlucky in love at first, Siânnese eventually coupled up with the semi-pro footballer, who melted hearts when he asked her to be his girlfriend in a Disney-Princess-themed ceremony, getting all the other Islanders involved.
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With her Bristolian-accented catchphrases of “Oh, 100%” and “No, I’m sorry, but that is not on”, Siânnese achieved fan fave status, which only grew when the pair performed a brilliant dance routine on Talent Show night.
They continued to dance on TikTok after leaving the villa and moving in together during lockdown.
They ended up dancing towards disaster, though, as they split up last year, unfollowed each other and are now both in new relationships.
Luke even got engaged to new love Chelsea Menna in the summer, three months after they met.
MOLLY SMITH & CALLUM JONES
Proving that a roving eye in Casa Amor isn’t always a recipe for disaster, model Molly, 28, and scaffolder Callum, 26, are still together three years after being dumped from the island – just five days before the final.
After coupling up in a slightly controversial way – when Callum ditched previous villa girlfriend Shaughna Phillips by bringing Molly back from Casa Amor – the pair then spent lockdown together at her parents’ house and now live in a plush four-bedroom Manchester home.
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Already boasting an impressive portfolio before she entered the villa, Molly has since increased her profile thanks to collabs with the likes of Beauty Works and I Saw It First, while Callum has hung up his hard hat to be an influencer, showing off his cooking skills, among other things.
And it seems they’re in it for the long haul, since they’re already talking about their dream wedding.
LUKE MABBOTT & DEMI JONES
Third place in 2020 went to Demi, 24, and Luke M, 27, who turned a friendship into romance pretty near the end of the series.
Bubbly style advisor Demi was warmly welcomed by the public when she came into the villa and hit it off with nice guy Nas Majeed.
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It was all looking promising until Nas brought back Eva Zapico from Casa Amor (boo, hiss!) and furious viewers voted to send him and Eva packing.
It was then that sparks flew between Demi and Justin-Bieber-alike heating engineer Luke, and they flew into third place in the final.
They split soon after, blaming the geographical distance between them, though Demi has recently hinted there was a crossover between her and Luke’s new girlfriend (now fiancée), surfer chick Lucie Donlan from Love Island season five.
Demi was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2021, but she was treated and later given the all-clear.
SHAUGHNA PHILLIPS
Oh, how we loved Shaughna, 28, whose Love Island experience came to an end with her being dumped from the island on day 33.
Previously coupled up with Callum, the former council worker was ditched as soon as he clocked fellow Mancunian Molly in Casa Amor.
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His head was turned and it was game over, though Shaughna famously styled it out with her deadpan “Congrats, hun” line – later immortalised as a slogan on a T-shirt – when the pair walked back in together.
Since leaving the villa, Shaughna has stayed in the public eye, appearing on reality TV shows such as Celebs Go Dating and The Real Full Monty – and keeping her 1.4m Instagram followers up to date with her antics.
She recently announced that she’s expecting her first child – due in the next couple of months – with her partner, a businessman known only as Billy.
CHED UZOR & JESS GALE
Identical twin bombshells Jess and Eve Gale, 23, did everything together after slow-mo walking into the villa, so when Eve was dumped from the island after only a few days, it was clearly a big deal for her sister.
But student Jess coupled up with man of few words, scaffolder Ched, 26, and went on a romantic date to a beach surrounded by penguins – not what you expect to see in sunny South Africa!
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The couple ended up in fourth place. Sadly, it didn’t last long and they announced on Instagram that June that lockdown had “torn them apart” but that they remained friends.
Ched now works as an online coach, while Jess has launched a new career as an influencer, sharing videos of herself getting cheek filler injections on TikTok (as you do).
- Winter Love Island starts tomorrow, 9pm, ITV2 and ITVX.
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