The first original Love Island 12 have been announced, with the new series bringing fresh faces back to our screens after the last star-spangled season reintroduced established reality TV icons.
News of 2024’s edition of Love Island has even reached the King himself, with Maya Jama telling an incredulous Charles she was shortly off to Spain to watch “young people snog”.
From sweet Hereford salesmen, former footballers taking a break from the beautiful game to find their wives, to Scousers looking for their Essex twin flames, this year’s cast looks to be as explosive as ever.
Love Island will return soon, with a brand new cast following Molly Smith and Tom Clare clinching first prize for their connection in the South African villa on Love Island All Stars, which brought together Islanders from series one to five for another shot at romance.
When does Love Island start?
On Monday 3 June Maya Jama will return to present her fourth crowd of singletons looking to find love or play the game to their best ability.
The first episode of 2024 will screen at 9pm on ITV1, ITV2, ITVX, STV and STV Player. You can catch the rest of the episodes on ITV2 and ITVX for the rest of the season.
Set to run for about eight weeks, the series will likely wrap up in August, with Love Island: Aftersun gracing your screens every Sunday on ITV2 and ITVX, also hosted by Jama alongside familiar faces on her panel.
With the exception of Saturday nights, when you can return to socialising in the real world, a new episode will be available every single night for the duration of the eight weeks.
Who are this year’s Love Island contestants?
As the Mallorcan villa re-opens its doors to eight weeks of gossip, heart-breaking and shocking twists, the first names we are destined to know like the back of our hands have been revealed.
Ayo Odukoya
The former Redbridge Football Club striker has made his transfer to the villa, saying he thinks he will bring “excitement and joy” to the table.
He told ITV he is looking for that “someone” he can “do stuff with”, adding the show seems like something to “have a go at”.
The 25-year-old model said: “Of course, you can’t go wrong trying to find that love again — that is something that would be amazing to find if possible.
“I don’t really like being outside too much, I’ve been outside recently and it’s not fun outside! I do prefer to be indoors chilling with that person I can do stuff with. It would be nice to have that with somebody again.”
Nicole Samuel
A former professional street dancer, the 24-year-old account manager from Aberdare said she will “probably have one the biggest personalities in the villa”.
Samuel said she loves single life, adding, “I’ve been enjoying single life and the attention of different boys, it’s fun”.
“I’ve enjoyed being able to go on holiday with the girls and not have to worry about someone back home. All the girls are there texting in their room and I’m out till 4 in the morning living my best life.”
Munveer Jabbal
Blaming the London dating scene for his singleness, Jabbal hopes to find something a bit more serious this summer, describing his decision to appear in the reality TV show as a “no-brainer”.
Jabbal, a 30-year-old recruitment manager from Surbiton, said: “London dating hasn’t worked out for me. The opportunity to be surrounded by good looking people in a villa under the sun is an absolute no-brainer!
“I’m 30 years old and I need to start thinking seriously about the next step, and what better place. I haven’t found the right girl, I’m quite picky and have high standards.
Shoe-horning in his friendship with Piers Morgan’s son, which he struck up on moving to Fulham in 2018, Jabbal added: “Dating in London is horrible. You don’t know who’s single… but now you’re putting me in a place where everyone’s single so there’s no issues around that.”
Jess White
A Stockport retail manager, White thinks its time to settle down to avoid being the “aunt that rocks up at family parties” that prompts comments such as “she’s still not met someone, she’s still going to Ibiza having a midlife crisis”.
The 25-year-old said: “All my friends are in relationships, settled down with babies,” adding, “I just want to meet somebody and to be able to do all of that stuff too.”
White thinks she’s single because she doesn’t “underestimate that I’m hard work”. She added: “I know what I want and I’m not easily pleased.
“When you’re a loud, outgoing woman, sometimes it can intimidate men — men don’t always want that. I think that can sometimes put people off me because I am quite loud and you can hear me before you see me. Some men love that though.
White’s eyes are turned by “nice teeth”, specifically a “a good set of Turkey teeth“.
She added: “I would say personality traits, you have to be family orientated. I’m so close to my mum and I’d like my future partner to be really close with their family too.
“You have to be tall, you can’t be shorter than me, I can’t be having to question whether I can wear heels around you and what height of heels I can wear. If you’re vertically challenged, it’s not for me.”
Samantha Kenny
The 26-year-old make-up artist from Liverpool is hoping to find an Essex king to her Scouse queen. Kenny thinks love lies outside of Liverpool, saying the villa is “an amazing opportunity to meet someone that isn’t from my area”.
She said she will bring “fire” and “Scouse glamour” to Mallorca, adding “I love a co*ckney boy so I’m hoping there is one in there for me.”
The Liverpudlian said: “I’m very opinionated and wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m really bubbly too so I’ll definitely have a laugh as well as bringing some scouse glamour.”
Explaining why she’s single, Kenny said: “I don’t get out enough, I work weekends and tend to not go out in Liverpool anymore. If I want a night out I go down to London as I love the boys down south. Tall, dark and co*ckney is my type.”
Ronnie Vint
Best man at former Love Island contestant Olivia Attwood and Bradley Dack’s wedding, the semi-professional footballer said Attwood is like his “big little sister”.
The 27-year-old said he’s had his fun and is ready to settle down with a “family-oriented” girl, adding he is partial to “blondes with nice boobs”.
Vint added: “I’ve had two serious relationships in the past but more recently have enjoyed being single and doing my own thing as I’ve been focused on my football career.
“I’ve got to the age where I want to find the right person I can build a life with.”
Patsy Field
A 29-year-old office administrator from Orpington, Field is looking for a “hunky” man referencing some new grey hairs as a prompt for bagging a man ASAP.
Field said the one thing she would want her fellow islanders to know is that her disability makes her different, adding, “It doesn’t define who I am, but it makes me a little different, although I’ve learnt to get on with it and it’s never held me back”.
Erb’s palsy is a neurological injury that causes weakness and loss of motion in the arm.
She said: “My friends would say that I’m the loudest person in the group, I’m the one who’s always up for doing a dare, they’d say I was the life and soul of the party.
“My family would say that I’m bossy and that it’s always my way or the highway, they’d say I rule the roost.”
Harriett Blackmore
The 24-year-old dancer and personal shopper from Brighton is in the villa for the “boys, entertainment, a bit of fun and flirting”.
Personal shopper to rapper ArrDee and friend to Strictly Come Dancing star Saffron Barker, Blackmore said she’ll “bring the drama”.
She added: “I’ll bring the entertainment for everyone in the villa, whether that’s making the girls laugh or making the boys turn their heads, I’m sure that I’ll bring the drama.”
Ciaran Davies
Davies fancies himself a look-alike of another Love Island star, Liam Reardon from series 7, and the 21-year-old once pretended to be him to get into a club in Malia and “ended up getting a private booth and free drinks all night”.
The surveyor from South Wales said now is “the perfect time” for him to be on the show, adding “I feel like I’m mature enough for something serious with the right girl”.
Davies’ green flags are “obviously looks”, but also that “humour is a big thing for me”.
He said: “I’m a bit of a wind up so I want a girl who can give it back. Loyalty is another one for me, I think that’s the most important thing to look for in a relationship.”
Sam Taylor
A 23-year-old hair stylist from Chesterfeild, Taylor is ready to find a “connection”, he says, adding, “At this point in my life I just want the opportunity to find a real connection with someone”.
He said: “I’ve been looking for that connection for quite some time but I’ve never really found it, I’m hoping I can find that spark in the villa.”
The one thing Taylor wants viewers and his fellow islanders to bare in mind is “not judging a book by its cover”, adding: “How I look compared to what I do for work might not necessarily add up.”
He said: “You wouldn’t look at me as a tall guy covered in tattoos and think that I make girls’ hair look pretty for a living.
“I’d like to think I’ve got lots of depth and substance which should hopefully help me out when trying to find a connection.”
Mimii Ngulube
A 24-year-old mental health nurse from Portsmouth, Ngulube is a self-proclaimed “girl’s girl”. She said: “My girls are my rocks and I’m theirs so I’ll be a good friend as well as going in there to find a man.
“I like dressing up so I’ll bring style, and I’d like to think I’m quite funny so I’ll make people laugh. Bringing honesty as well — I’m good at picking up on people’s personality traits and side-eyeing those who might be a liar.”
But Portsmouth is “just not giving” for Ngulube, despite trying “dating, [and] speaking to people on social media”, her journey “just hasn’t been successful.”
She added: “Applying was a spontaneous thing, I didn’t expect to get here!”
Sean Stone
Stone, a 24-year-old salesman from Hereford is looking for a “karaoke partner”, and said he is the “full package” himself.
He described himself as: “5 ft 11 in, tall, dark and handsome. Not quite six foot. Great smile, great teeth, great arms and abs — the full package.”
Stone said: “I’ve always been one for relationships and when you have found someone you want to be with, it’s the best feeling. Now is the perfect time, the one thing that is missing is my soulmate.”
