Yahoo News Love Island 2023 – live: First look reveals Jess and Catherine get heads turned by bombshell Zachariah
Prepare for Turkey teeth, snakey behaviour and lots of snogging, as Love Island is back for its 10th season.
The new summer series featured a major twist for the launch episode as the public voted for which contestants they wanted to see coupled up.
Maya Jama is back on hosting duties after she made her debut on the winter edition earlier this year.
Jama proved a warm and lively host for the winter show, which was filmed in South Africa and won by Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan.
The contestants entering the villa first for the summer edition include model Ella Thomas and semi-professional footballer Tyrique Hyde. In tonight’s episode, it’s revealed that the pair already knew each other before they went in.
One newcomer, Molly Marsh, is joining the list of “nepo babies” who have appeared throughout the show’s history, from Dani Dyer to Tommy Fury.
Find out all about the 2023 villa here and which former contestants are still together here.
And follow along for live updates...
Key points
Love Island: Last season’s winners and all previous champions
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
20:30 , Nicole Vassell
We’ve got a text... tonight’s episode of Love Island starts in 30 MINUTES!
All the Love Island couples that are still together now
20:15 , Nicole Vassell
Sometimes on Love Island, a relationship is just for a season, and people part ways some weeks or months after the cameras stop rolling.
Yet, there are also times when romance lasts long term, leading to homes together, marriages and even babies – both fur, and the human kind!
Here is a look at all the couples who have stood the test of time after the island:
All the Love Island couples that are still together now
Love Island’s Catherine ‘seen by medic’ during first day of filming
19:59 , Nicole Vassell
Current islander Catherine is said to have had a short medical incident during an early stage of filming over the weekend.
An ITV spokesperson told The Independent: “Catherine was seen instantly by one of the 24-hour medics which resulted in a short pause in filming. Once the medic was happy with her temperature she was fine to continue with the rest of filming.”
A prior report from The Sun noted that the Dublin-based commercial real estate agent may have been affected by the hot weather and the nerves of filming.
“Her welfare was the priority and filming with the other islanders and Maya was stopped until she was feeling better.
“It seemed the heat, nerves and not eating enough was the cause of her turn and she returned to filming not long after.”
Maya Jama’s rise to the top
19:45 , Nicole Vassell
After years of fans suggesting her for the Love Island hosting job, Maya Jama finally took over the reins earlier this year with the 2023 winter season.
Though season nine may have had mixed reviews, more universal praise went to Jama for her enthusiasm and charm as a presenter.
To the audience’s delight, she’s back as the host of season 10, as the action kicks off in Majorca.
Here’s a look at her journey to one of TV’s most coveted jobs:
Maya Jama, the effervescent star bringing a fresh burst of sun to Love Island
All the nepo babies of Love Island
19:15 , Nicole Vassell
Sometimes, the contestants on Love Island have some awareness of a life of fame and fortune through their loved ones.
Nearly every season, at least one of the hopeful Islanders will be one degree of separation from someone famous. Last year, Gemma, daughter of football star Michael Owen, made it all the way to the grand final with her then-partner, Luca.
Ellie Muir has the rundown of the nepo babies of Love Island:
All of the nepo babies that have appeared on Love Island
Inside the famous Love Island villa
18:45 , Roisin O’Connor
Love Island is back for its 10th season, with Maya Jama hosting her first summer series.
The famous villa, in which couples will get to know each other in the hope of finding love, has had another glow-up in preparation for the new series.
Its new look includes a fresh colour scheme and the return of the dog house, as well as new day beds.
Take a look:
Inside the famous Love Island villa near Majorca
Love Island season 10 premiere watched by 1.7 million
18:15 , Nicole Vassell
The launch episode of Love Island’s 10th season attracted 1.7 million viewers, according to figures from ITV.
As the show aired on ITV2, 1.3 million watched on TV, while 400,000 joined from the broadcaster’s streaming service, ITVX.
Though the episode had the third-highest overnight digital audience for 18-34-year-olds this year, the show’s average viewership is down compared to previous runs.
The premiere of the 2022 summer series, ultimately won by Ekin-Su and Davide, had an average TV audience of 2.4 million. In 2019, the launch episode attracted 3.3 million.
Two Love Island contestants discover they’ve met before
17:46 , Roisin O'Connor
Love Island’s Coco Lodge claims she was the ‘most trolled’ contestant in show’s history
16:45 , Roisin O'Connor
Coco Lodge called herself one of the “most” trolled Love Island contestants in the show’s history.
The 28-year-old, who appeared on 2022’s edition of the ITV reality dating show, has said in a new interview that she was repeatedly mocked by viewers for her appearance and perceived as a “villain”.
Lodge arrived on the show as a Casa Amor bombshell, when new singles are brought in to stir up the already existing relationships. The former contestant found herself in a love triangle when she had a connection with Andrew Le Page, who was coupled up with Tasha Ghouri.
Full story:
Love Island’s Coco Lodge says she was ‘most trolled’ contestant in show’s history
Sneak peek: Zachariah gets Jess and Catherine’s heads turning before making a big decision
15:45 , Nicole Vassell
At the end of yesterday’s episode, season 10’s first bombshell contestant Zachariah made his entrance.
As is the job of any good bombshell, Zach immediately became the talk of the villa – and in Tuesday night’s follow-up, he stays a hot topic.
Jess admits to the girls: “He’s really handsome, and I feel like he’s playing it cool – I like that.”
Later in the beach hut, Catherine lets slip that he’s on her mind too. She says: “I am enjoying getting to know André, but I feel like when Zach came in and he spoke I was like OK… he may be a bit of me…”
And then, while Zach’s speaking to Ruchee on the day beds, he gets the fateful text that tells him it’s time to decide which girl he’s coupling up with – and which boy will be left single.
Maya Jama shares unexpected new rule with islanders
14:45 , Roisin O'Connor
Maya Jama, the effervescent star bringing a fresh burst of sun to Love Island 2023
13:45 , Roisin O'Connor
Maya Jama, the effervescent star bringing a fresh burst of sun to Love Island
How long does Love Island go on for?
13:15 , Jacob Stolworthy
Love Island’s 2023 summer series is expected to run for eight weeks as usual. If the series follows the usual pattern, the grand final is expected to take place on 30 July.
If previous instalments are anything to go by, the final four couples will have visits from their families before the winners are crowned and given the chance to share or steal the £50,000 prize.
The moment two Love Island 2023 contestants learn they’ve already met!
12:45 , Roisin O'Connor
12:45 , Jacob Stolworthy
Has Love Island finally given us the ick? That’s the big question pondered by The Independent’s Isobel Lewis in this comment piece.
“The suicides of two former contestants, Sophie Gradon in 2018 and Mike Thalassitis in 2019, as well as the suicide of former presenter Caroline Flack in 2020, showed that the fun wasn’t as harmless as it seemed,” Lewis writes.
“Contestants thought they were having a fun summer gossipping by a pool, but left the show to find themselves national hate figures, their social media feeds flooded with abuse. The air had been sucked out of the villa, its toxic ripple effect now impossible to ignore.”
Read more:
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
Meet the contestants and couples of the 2023 summer edition
11:45 , Ellie Harrison
Get stuck in for glam, grafting, and girls and guys “pulling each other for a chat” –Love Island is back for its 10th season with a whole new batch of islanders.
Meet them here:
Love Island line up: Meet the contestants and couples of the 2023 summer edition
From Gemma Owen to Tommy Fury: All of the nepo babies that have appeared on Love Island
11:15 , Ellie Harrison
All of the nepo babies that have appeared on Love Island
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
10:45 , Roisin O'Connor
Has Love Island finally given us the ick? As ITV2’s annual celebration of sun, skin and snogging returns, it’s a question many of us are asking. For the past eight years, this dating show has dominated the discourse – plonk a bunch of hot twentysomethings in a Mallorcan villa, and their actions will spark debate about everything from racism to gaslighting. Now back for its 10th series, there’s more scrutiny on Love Island than ever, but little sign it’s going anywhere either. Should Love Island change, just because society has? Or is it asking too much to want a show, where attractive gym bunnies lie around in skimpy swimwear, to be politically aware, too?
By Isobel Lewis:
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
Meet all the contestants, including the new bombshell
10:21 , Ellie Harrison
Last night’s launch saw the arrival of Zachariah... who is going to “steal” one of the contestants in tonight’s show
Love Island line up: Meet the contestants and couples of the 2023 summer edition
Public vote for couples raises eyebrows
08:15 , Ellie Harrison
Love Island fans have been joking about their “shock” at the public having voted for the Black contestants on the new series to couple up.
Love Island fans criticise public vote after Black contestants coupled up, again
Watch: First Look at Love Island as contestants enter the Villa
06:23 , Tom Murray
Molly is the show’s latest ‘nepo baby’. Who else has there been?
05:20 , Tom Murray
21-year-old Molly is the daughter of Janet Marsh, an actor who has had several roles in ITV’s Coronation Street over the years, and featured in series like Bodies, Where The Heart Is and Still Open All Hours.
She previously told OK Magazine that her mum had “only done small day player roles” and insisted that she has not given her daughter any advice for appearing on television.
Find out what other contestants had famous parents here:
All of the nepo babies that have appeared on Love Island
Which Love Island couples have stayed together?
03:13 , Tom Murray
It’s the tenth season of Love Island so what better time to look back on all the couples we’ve loved and lost over the years?
Who else was quietly devastated when Dani and Jack split up? Are Ekin-Su and Davide still together?
These important questions answered and more, here:
All the Love Island couples that are still together now
What place does Love Island have in 2023?
02:15 , Tom Murray
Has Love Island finally given us the ick? That’s the big question pondered by The Independent’s Isobel Lewis in this comment piece.
“The suicides of two former contestants, Sophie Gradon in 2018 and Mike Thalassitis in 2019, as well as the suicide of former presenter Caroline Flack in 2020, showed that the fun wasn’t as harmless as it seemed,” Lewis writes.
“Contestants thought they were having a fun summer gossipping by a pool, but left the show to find themselves national hate figures, their social media feeds flooded with abuse. The air had been sucked out of the villa, its toxic ripple effect now impossible to ignore.”
Read more:
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
How long does Love Island go on for?
01:22 , Tom Murray
Love Island’s 2023 summer series is expected to run for eight weeks as usual. If the series follows the usual pattern, the grand final is expected to take place on 30 July.
If previous instalments are anything to go by, the final four couples will have visits from their families before the winners are crowned and given the chance to share or steal the £50,000 prize.
Who is the first Love Island bombshell?
Monday 5 June 2023 23:16 , Tom Murray
Zachariah Noble is this year’s first bombshell.
He’s a 25-year-old personal trainer and basketball player from South East London. Here’s his welcome interview with ITV in full:
Why Love Island and why now?
I always say, ‘you only grow as a person when you take yourself out of your comfort zone’ and I think it’s something that’s so far out of my comfort zone, I’d be silly not to give it a go. Being 25, I’m at a crossroads where I’ve been having fun, but I also want to have the peace and harmony that comes from being with the right woman.
What do you think you’ll bring to the Villa?
I’m a very chilled out guy and I’m completely myself 100% of the time. I’m quite straightforward and never struggle making friends, I like to look after people.
What’s your ‘elevator pitch’ for why someone should want to date you?
I’d just shout out ‘What else do you need, babe?’ I’m pretty tall and I’m confident in myself. In this day and age I think being genuine is rare and I’m very genuine. What you see is what you get.
Why would you say you’re single?
I’m not going to be young forever and it would be nice to meet someone and get some good holiday pictures whilst I’m still looking half decent!
How would friends/family describe you?
I think they would say that I’m a lovely guy, hard-working, competitive, and confident. My friends would definitely say I’m the guy they can rely on to bring the banter.
Best / worst date story?
I was asked to go to a museum once on a date, but I walked around so unimpressed that I accidentally made it really apparent I didn’t want to be there. I don’t go on many dates, I haven’t been on one for quite a while so it will be nice to go on some in the Villa.
What gives you the ‘ick’?
I’ve got two and they’re both really stupid; Bad handwriting - I’ve got terrible handwriting so they’d need to have better handwriting than me and twerking, I really don’t like twerking!
Do you fall in love quickly?
I do believe in love at first sight, I think that you can sense people’s energies as soon as you meet them.
Love isn’t something you pick to be in, it’s something that happens when it happens.I wouldn’t say I’m closed off but I like things to be really natural and organic.
What are the most important things you look for in a partner?
The most important things are that someone is genuine and they also have good banter.
Tell us something not many people know about you?
My cat is a huge part of my life, I honestly love him. He’s called Frank, I named him about ten years ago - his full name is Frankie G Swagger Don I treat him as if he’s my son, I’m going to miss him so much when I’m in the Villa.
This year marks series 10 of Love Island. Do you have a favourite show moment from any of the previous seasons?
When Amy returned from Casa Amor and said to Curtis; ‘I was coming back here to tell you I loved you.’
If you had to pick two celebrities to be in the Villa with you as fellow Islanders who would they be and why?
Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot and Meagan Good. Meagan was my childhood supercrush.
If money was no object, what would be your ideal first date?
Even if money wasn’t an option, I think the first thing you want to find out is what someone is like as a person ,so you don’t want to splash too much anyway. I’d be happy with a nice person.
Monday 5 June 2023 22:33 , Tom Murray
Jess and Ruchee have stepped forward – meaning they think they could be happier in a new couple. Enter Zachariah, the villa’s first bombshell! He’ll have 24 hours to get to know everyone before being able to “steal” a woman of his choosing. Game on...
Monday 5 June 2023 22:25 , Tom Murray
Maya is back! What now...
Monday 5 June 2023 21:53 , Tom Murray
The penny has finally dropped! Ella apparently had blonde hair when they met the first time. “You look better now... not that you looked bad then!” What a charmer.
Monday 5 June 2023 21:47 , Tom Murray
So Tyrique and Ella “met” in a London nightclub... Has something happened already? He claims he doesn’t remember.
All the couples have officially been coupled
Monday 5 June 2023 21:43 , Tom Murray
The last couples to round out the contestants are: Ruchee and Mehdi, and Tyrique and Ella. The public has done its part... for now.
Monday 5 June 2023 21:39 , Tom Murray
Awkward... Ella and Tyrique have apparently met before in London. He doesn’t remember. Let’s hear the tea Ella!
Two more couples are in...
Monday 5 June 2023 21:35 , Tom Murray
Molly and Mitchel, and Catherine and André are our next couples. Everyone seems chuffed so far. “Ultimate wingmen,” a very pleased André says of the public.
We have our first Love Island couple!
Monday 5 June 2023 21:29 , Tom Murray
Jess and George are our first couple of season 10. Cheers, the general public. Onto the next!
Monday 5 June 2023 21:21 , Tom Murray
No awkward line-ups this time! This year, the couples will be decided by... the public! So far in the house we have: Ruchee, Ella, Mitchel, Jess and André. Did the rest get lost on their way over?
Meet the full lineup here:
Here we go...
Monday 5 June 2023 20:58 , Tom Murray
This is it folks, the tenth season of Love Island is about to begin. Thanks for joining us here at The Independent as we guide you through all the drama of episode one.
Watch: Behind-the-scenes at the Love Island villa ahead of new series
Monday 5 June 2023 20:35 , Tom Murray
What does the villa look like this year?
Monday 5 June 2023 20:05 , Tom Murray
The famous Love Island villa has been given another glow-up in preparation for the new series.
Its new look includes a fresh colour scheme and the return of the dog house, as well as new day beds.
The villa is tucked away off a dirt road in a remote area in the east of Mallorca. Love Island moved to the new property for the last summer series after the previous location, near Sant Llorenc des Cardassar in the east of the Spanish island, reportedly became unavailable.
Read more:
Video: First Look at Love Island as contestants enter the Villa
Monday 5 June 2023 19:15 , Tom Murray
Who is Love Island host Maya Jama?
Monday 5 June 2023 18:40 , Tom Murray
Maya Jama is taking the helm for her first summer edition of Love Island tonight.
In October last year, it was announced that Jama was taking over from Laura Whitmore as the show’s new presenter, getting her start in the 2023 winter series in South Africa.
Starting out as a DJ on Rinse FM, The Independent has tracked Jama’s remarkable rise to fame here.
Maya Jama, the effervescent star bringing a fresh burst of sun to Love Island
Monday 5 June 2023 17:54 , Tom Murray
Itching for some merch? Our colleagues at IndyBest have put together this handy buying guide for everything from the iconic water bottles to suitcases.
Love Island couple’s who have gone the distance
Monday 5 June 2023 16:35 , Ellie Harrison
We’ve compiled a list of all the couples from the show who still seem to be loved up...
All the Love Island couples that are still together now
Opinion: What place does Love Island have in 2023?
Monday 5 June 2023 16:05 , Ellie Harrison
Has Love Island finally given us the ick? Isobel Lewis investigates...
Love Island can’t hide from its ugly past – what place does the series have in 2023?
Maya Jama’s pre-Love Island journey
Monday 5 June 2023 15:33 , Ellie Harrison
The full lowdown on presenter Jama’s background and career to date...
Maya Jama, the effervescent star bringing a fresh burst of sun to Love Island
A look at the show’s history with nepo babies...
Monday 5 June 2023 15:05 , Ellie Harrison
Remember when Gemma Owen casually admitted her dad was the football legend Michael Owen last summer? Or when the son of Boyzone frontman Ronan Keating gave away who his “old man” was?
Here’s a look back at all the nepo babies who have appeared on Love Island...
All of the nepo babies that have appeared on Love Island
Meet the contestants
Monday 5 June 2023 14:33 , Ellie Harrison
From gas engineer Mitchel to beautician Ruchee, here are the new islanders...
Love Island line up: Meet the contestants of the 2023 summer edition
