Love Island Crowns Its Winners Finley Tapp And Paige Turley In Emotional Final Dedicated To Caroline Flack

The couple shared the £50,000 prize in Sunday’s live final.
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Finley Tapp and Paige Turley have won the first ever series of winter Love Island.

They beat fellow finalists Siannise Fudge and Luke Trotman, Luke Mabbott and Demi Jones, and Jess Gale and Ched Uzor to win £50,000.

After discovering they had won the public vote to be crowned the champions, Paige and Finn then had to decide whether to stick or split the cash prize.

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Finley Tapp and Paige Turley celebrate with Love Island host Laura Whitmore (centre).
ITV/Shutterstock

They were asked by host Laura Whitmore whether this experience “was about love or money”, and were each given an envelope – Paige’s had the £50,000 prize, and Finn’s had £0.

Paige, 22, then had to decide whether to keep the full prize for herself, or share it with Finn, 20.

She chose to share it with her partner, meaning they won £25,000 each.

Following their win, Finn joked: “How the fuck have I blagged that?”

Siannise and Luke T came in second place, while Luke M and Demi came in third place and Jess and Ched were fourth.

Earlier in the programme, Finn – a semi-professional footballer from Milton Keynes – had declared his love for Paige as the finalists made their declarations of love for each other.

Breaking down in tears in the pre-recorded segment, he said: “Paigey, I want you to know I love you.”

Paige, a singer from West Lothian who previously dated chart-topping star Lewis Capaldi, told him: “You brought out a side to me that no-one has ever seen.”

The final episode of the winter series of Love Island came just over a week after former Love Island host Caroline Flack died at the age of 40.

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Caroline Flack
Lia Toby via Getty Images

An emotional Laura paid tribute to the presenter earlier in the live final, held in Cape Town, South Africa, telling viewers that it has been “extremely difficult coming to terms with the loss of our friend and colleague Caroline”.

She added: “We’re thinking of her family and everyone who knew her at this time.

“Caroline loved Love Island, she loved love, and that’s why tonight’s final is dedicated to her.”

A montage of footage from Caroline’s time hosting Love Island and companion show Aftersun since 2015 was played.

An ITV spokeswoman confirmed earlier on Sunday that the finalists had been told of her death off camera before the live final.

Ahead of the episode, Laura had tweeted a thanks to her boyfriend, Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, “for a brilliant series and helping me every step of the way”.

She added: “Tonight’s show is dedicated to Caroline.”

Caroline was replaced by her friend Laura on the latest series following the late star’s arrest on an assault charge.

She was found dead at her flat last Saturday after taking her own life as she awaited trial for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton.

At the end of the programme, Laura confirmed that the regular summer series of Love Island will take place in its usual location of Mallorca later this year.