Love Island's first couples revealed after twist

Yahoo

5 hours ago

Love Island has started with a twist, with the first couples decided in a dating app game and one contestant losing her partner after just a few hours.
The ITV show has returned for its summer series, with 12 new singles moving into the villa as they try and find love. It got under way on Monday, 9 June and included the first coupling, but instead of the girls or boys picking based on appearances, host Maya Jama told the girls they would have to choose their first partners based on their dating profiles.
'This year things are slightly different," she said. "You've told me what your type on paper is, but does that match your ideal man in reality?' As the girls lined up by the pool, Jama explained: 'In front of you there are six love hearts and each boy has given me their dating profile which is written on each of these hearts - shall we have a look at what these boys have to offer?'
The girls then had to decide who they wanted to couple up based on brief details like each man's name, age and a job, plus a little snippet such as: 'I like to play hard and work harder! I love to play so I work very hard."
After reading them all, Jama told them to race to whichever heart they liked the look of, before the men were revealed.
So who picked who?
Meg and Dejon
Meg has been single for over four years, sharing: "I don't date, I don't even know when my last kiss was."
However, she didn't seem to be too sure when she first met Dejon, a personal trainer from London. Meg picked Dejon's heart but when she first saw him she admitted she was only "50/50" on whether he was her type.
She later explained it was because Dejon had said he liked to party and she thought that sounded as if he wasn't looking to settle down.
Dejon, who described himself as "definitely competitive", said that after they cleared that up he was feeling "positive" and was "excited" about what was to come. By night time, they were saying they were "up to 100".
Helena and Conor
Helena and Conor got off to a rocky start, after she said one thing that gave her the "ick" was rugby and he turned out to be a pro rugby player.
The Islander had previously said she been single all her life and that her type was "somebody that can make me laugh", but that she didn't want a rugby player. But when she was beaten to the other hearts she ended up with Conor, who described himself as being a "bit arrogant, bit cocky".
However, they later went off for a chat and Conor surprised Helena, who decided he was more fun to talk to than she'd thought he'd be.
Sophie and Harry
Commodities trader and semi pro footballer Harry said he was "delighted" when he saw Sophie, an author and motivational speaker, and loved that she was wearing red.
Sophie - who made it clear she was "looking for a husband" - revealed she liked the look of Harry on paper and the pair got straight into a serious chat, with Sophie opening up about having once been injured in a fire and how she wanted a serious romance.
Harry also hinted that he was looking for a real relationship, saying he was a "hopeless romantic".
Read more: Love Island
Who is Love Island host Maya Jama?
Love Island cast's claims to fame from 'nepo baby' to celebrity body double
Which Love Island couples are still together?
He also explained that he didn't like dating apps and preferred to do things face to face. "I like to go up to girls in person in the gym and say, 'How are you doing?'" he said.
Megan and Tommy
Megan said she was looking to find "the guy of my dreams", saying he had to be in the villa "because he's nowhere else apparently". And she got off to a good start when she picked landscape gardener Tommy, with the pair bonding over their Sicilian heritage.
Tommy shared that he got plenty of attention from women in his normal life and completely backed himself when it came to the opposite sex - although any girlfriend might need the seal of approval from his mum. If she didn't approve, it could be "a dealbreaker", he said.
Energy broker Megan made it clear she was up for a challenge, saying she was "so competitive". She was also looking forward to dating in person as she was "sick" of apps.
Alima and Blu
Alima and Blu suggested they weren't each other's types but agreed to stay open as they got to know each other.
Born in London but raised in Spain, Blu said in his video interview: "Out of 10 I'd give myself a 9.5. For it to give a 10 I'd have to have my trousers off."
But Alima didn't seem too impressed and complained that he'd been rude when he commented on how beautiful all the girls were when it was her who had chosen him.
Shakira and Ben
Shakira said she was on Love Island to find her Prince Charming, but made it clear that looks weren't everything and that he had 'got to have the chat'.
When it was time to run for the hearts the children's entertainer made a beeline for the one saying Ben, who was a taxi driver with the slogan: 'No I'm not a catfish.'
He told how he was always coming across 'fit' girls but that he hadn't been that lucky when it came to love himself. 'My love life is a shambles, social media has ruined everything,' he confessed.
Bombshell twist
There was a huge shock in store for Shakira and Ben when Jama appeared at the end of the episode and brought with her a bombshell.
Toni had travelled from the US, admitting she was "tired of American boys", and Jama told her she could pick any one of the boys to couple up with.
She chose Ben, leaving Shakira single and in danger of being dumped from the island. But Jama threw her a lifeline, telling her she now has 24 hours to make a connection with one of the boys. If she fails, she faces being sent packing.
Love Island continues on ITV2 at 9pm on Tuesday, 10 June.