The cynics out there may believe people really go on Love Island to boost their profile rather than find romance, but if the last seven series have proved anything, it’s that true love can occasionally be found under the bright lights of the villa.
Admittedly, the majority of couples have called it quits following their time on the ITV2 reality show, but there are a handful Islanders who have continued to make it work long after the sun set on their time on the Island...
Cara De La Hoyde & Nathan Massey (series 2)
After coupling up on the first day of series two, Cara and Nathan not only won each other’s hearts, but also those of the entire nation, as they went on to win the show together.
Their romance continued after the series finished, but after a year of dating, they announced they had split.
Just a few weeks later, the pair revealed they were actually expecting a baby together, and their romance was back on by the time their son, Freddie, was born in December 2017.
Seven months later, the couple announced their engagement, after Nathan took Cara back to the original Love Island villa to propose.
They eventually tied the knot in July 2019 in a ceremony attended by many of their former Love Island co-stars, and welcomed their second child, a baby girl called Delilah, in July 2020.
The couple said in 2022: “We are still very lucky to be in the public’s hearts and minds, and wherever we are in the world, we always get somebody asking how we are or stopping us for a selfie. Without being on Love Island we would never have even met!”
Alex Bowen & Olivia Buckland (series 2)
Unlike their fellow series two contestants Cara and Nathan, Olivia and Alex did not immediately couple up on Love Island – who could forget his dalliance with Zara Holland that famously cost her the title of Miss Great Britain?
After eventually falling for one another later in the series, Olivia and Alex went on to finish as runners-up and have been together ever since.
The pair announced their engagement in December 2016 – less than six months after meeting on the show.
However, they didn’t rush into marriage, eventually tying the knot in September 2018, in a lavish ceremony attended by a host of celebrity pals.
They later moved into a sprawling country mansion and have been documenting their renovations on a special Instagram account (where else?).
In early 2022, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together.
Olivia told ITV ahead of the new series of Love Island launching: ”The experience opened up so many new and different doors, as well as so many new experiences for Alex and I.
“The best part was obviously meeting each other and now having a baby! the experience has changed us both as people and has given us such an individual life experience.”
Camilla Thurlow & Jamie Jewitt (series 3)
The path of true love really did not run smoothly for Camilla during the 2017 series. Having been messed around by Johnny Mitchell – as well as fending off the advances of Craig – the former bomb disposal expert finally found the one when hunky model Jamie rocked up on the Island.
After a series of cute dates and some gentle flirting, the pair surprised everyone when they got intimate in the villa, but they remained realistic about their chances of being able to continue their relationship in the outside world, and refused to put a label on their romance.
However, five years after they first coupled up, Camilla and Jamie are still going strong, and welcomed their first child, a daughter called Nell, in October 2020, followed by baby Nora in May 2022.
Jamie proposed to Camilla in February 2021, enlisting baby Nell to help him pop the question, and they married later in the year.
Jessica Shears & Dom Lever (series 3)
Jess and Dom may have had their doubters after leaving the villa – especially when they got engaged after only three months – but they’ve defied expectations by going the distance.
After they staged a fake wedding on Good Morning Britain, the pair got married for real in October 2018 with the pictures being published as part of a magazine deal.
They welcomed the second Love Island baby in September 2019, when Jess gave birth to their son. They announced they were expecting their second child in March 2022.
Jess and Dom have chosen not reveal their child’s name, but do post the occasional picture of him on their Instagram accounts.
Dom said in 2022: “Love Island changed everything about my life, I met my wife, mother of my children and moved across the country for a better life. Not to mention it changed the course of my career and now I get to spend everything with my family and working for myself.”
Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague (series 5)
Tommy and Molly-Mae may have lost out to Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea in the final, but they are the only couple from 2019 that are still together.
What’s more, they’ve undoubtedly gone on to become one of the most popular Love Island couples ever.
The pair coupled up early into the fifth series and cemented themselves as favourites among fans when Tommy stayed loyal to her during the Casa Amor twist, leading to one of the sweetest recoupling moments ever – and they’ve been going strong ever since.
They quickly moved in with each other after the series finished, and are now enjoying a very Instagram-friendly lifestyle, with many modelling contracts and endorsement deals between the two of them. Molly Mae is also the creative director of fast fashion company Pretty Little Thing.
Tommy is also continuing with his boxing career, which he began prior to entering the Love Island villa.
Paige Turley & Finn Tapp (series 6)
The series six winners did initially not have as much of a chance to exploit commercial opportunities as other champions, given that the nation was put on lockdown just a month after their win.
However, Paige and Finn quarantined together at the start of the first lockdown only weeks after the Love Island final, with Finn racing to be with Paige in Scotland just hours before movement was restricted.
They later moved in together, both relocating from their hometowns to Manchester.
They said in 2022: “Without the show, our paths would never have crossed. We both found everything that we’d asked for in a partner in each other and we now live together in Manchester.
“We’ve got a new amazing group of friends and literally couldn’t imagine life without each other.”
Nas Majeed and Eva Zapico (series 6)
Prior to Eva’s arrival, Nas had been coupled up with Demi after being friend-zoned by Siannise and Jess.
While many people both in and out of the villa expected something to come of his and Demi’s pairing, things changed when he headed off to Casa Amor and hit it off with Eva.
They recoupled with each other and returned to the main villa, but sadly it wasn’t too long before they were voted off the show.
Despite being in the early days of getting to know each other when they left the villa, the pair forged a romance on the outside world and have remained together.
They said in 2022: “It’s been two years and we both still cannot believe that we met on the show! Under normal circumstances we probably would have never crossed paths, so we’re forever grateful to Love Island for bringing us together!
“It’s amazing to watch the episodes back of when we first met and we absolutely can’t wait to see what the future holds!”
Molly Smith & Callum Jones (series 6)
Callum and Molly’s relationship was undoubtedly the most controversial of series six, after he pied off Shaughna in the Casa Amor recoupling to be with Molly.
While we’re still recovering from Shaughna’s “Congrats, hun” burn, the two have been going steady ever since.
Callum spent most of the first lockdown living with Molly and her family, and later moved into their own home together in Manchester.
In November 2020, they also cemented their relationship when Molly gifted Callum a puppy as an early Christmas present.
In 2022, Molly said: “Love Island gave me the experience of a lifetime, the best memories that I’ll cherish forever and of course, my soulmate.”
Faye Winter and Teddy Soares (series 7)
It looked to be all over for Faye and Teddy thanks to her outrageous outburst at her partner during their time in the villa, which attracted Love Island’s most Ofcom complaints ever.
But after working things through, the pair are now coming up for a year together and are living in Faye’s hometown of Devon.
They said in 2022: “We were able to learn so much about each other in such a short period of time yet we are still learning but with an amazing unbreakable bond which we owe Love Island for. We were able to have fun and focus on ourselves and each other without any outside distractions.
“It was an incredible two months with so many highs - and we can’t lie a couple of lows - however we now have each other and are forever grateful to ITV. not only did the show bring us together but also taught us so much about ourselves as individuals.”
Millie Court and Liam Reardon (series 7)
Millie and Liam might have won the seventh series of Love Island, but it was not a smooth ride for the couple to get there.
Who could forget Liam’s head being turned by Lillie during Casa Amor, which almost ended their relationship for good?
After Millie eventually forgave Liam, they scooped the £50,000 prize ahead of Chloe and Toby and moved in together and are soon to celebrate their first anniversary together.
Millie said in 2022: “I will always be grateful to love island for introducing me to liam, we had the summer of our lives.
“The villa gave me a new life that has enabled me to travel and work with brands I used to dream of working with. I also made friends for life.”
Liam added: “It forced me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things and has opened so many doors for new career opportunities, but most importantly it brought me and Millie together which probably would’ve never happened without the show. If I could go back in time I would 100% do it again.”
Chloe Burrows and Toby Aromolaran (series 7)
Much like series winners Millie and Liam, it didn’t look like Chloe and Toby were meant to be at various points during their time in the villa. But after being drawn back to one another after various other partners, the couple have gone the distance.
They were beset by split rumours in the spring of 2022, but these were quickly brushed off.
Speaking ahead of the eighth series of Love Island, the couple said: “We both had so much fun. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity where you not only make friends for life but also potentially come out in a relationship too. The best, best, best experience ever!”