Love Island champ Sammy Root has given his advice to the new All Stars cast and opened up about his experiences after he scooped the £50,000 prize in 2023.
For the first time in the show’s history, singletons from previous seasons returned to the villa as they continue their quest to find their dream partner.
And in true Love Island fashion, the show, which is hosted by Maya Jama in South Africa, kicked off earlier this week with a number of explosive jaw-dropping twists.
Speaking exclusively to , Sammy, 22, explained how the reality stars can’t ‘act up and fake their personalities’ because the public have already seen who they are before.
He explained that ‘winning doesn’t matter’ but said if the stars want to be in with a chance, they need to ‘represent themselves well’.
Sammy Root has given his advice to the Love Island All Stars cast and opened up about his experiences after he scooped the £50,000 prize in 2023
He said: ‘Winning doesn’t really matter. Obviously it is amazing to win, but I think just represent yourself well which I think everyone on the All Stars already knows you can’t act up and fake your personality’ (pictured with his now ex, Jess Harding)
He said: ‘I think anyone going back in already has their own advice for going on the show and as far as advice coming from a winner, winning it doesn’t really matter.
‘Obviously it is amazing to win it, but I think as long as you go on there and come off a happy person and represent yourself well and have a lot of fun.
‘Just be yourself which I think everyone on the All Stars show already knows you can’t act up and fake your personality.
‘I think All Stars is full of twists and I think there’s going to be a lot more going on and it’s going to be really entertaining.
‘I think it’s going to be very, very different to every other season we have seen.’
The former project manager won the tenth series alongside ex-girlfriend Jess Harding, who he split from just two months after leaving the villa.
Sammy admitted he wouldn’t rule out a return as a bombshell and revealed he ‘wouldn’t have any hard feelings against’ Jess if she decided to return to the hit dating show.
He continued: ‘I can’t lie, Love Island was the best experience of my life, I would never say never but at the same time it is very soon since getting off one show.
The former project manager won the tenth series alongside ex-girlfriend Jess, who he split from just two months after leaving the villa
Sammy admitted he wouldn’t rule out a return as a bombshell and revealed he ‘wouldn’t have any hard feelings against’ Jess if she decided to return to the hit dating show
Jake Cornish, who has since quit the show was awkwardly reunited with his ex Liberty Poole, (pictured) and ex’s Molly Smith and Callum Jones both came face to face as they entered the launch show as bombshells
‘I’m just going to take the best opportunities for me and it is a bit of a sticky one for going back.
‘If I saw Jess walk into All Stars, you know what me and Jess had a great experience together and to be fair parting ways was the best thing for us to go after what it best for ourselves.
‘I wouldn’t have any hard feelings against her and I would understand if she wanted to redo it because it was an amazing experience and I wouldn’t have anything against her.’
Speaking on his own love life, Sammy added: ‘Right now I’m very much trying to just focus on me. I’m trying to get where I actually want to be before I’m worried too much about getting in relationships and stuff.
‘At the same time, I’m not the sort of person that goes looking for love, do you know what I mean? If I meet the right person, then that’s when you know, you know’.
The show legends who have joined Liberty, Jake, Molly and Callum in returning this year so far are Georgia Harrison, Chris Taylor, Hannah Elizabeth, Kaz Kamwi, Georgia Steel, Anton Danyluk, Demi Jones, Luis Morrison, Toby Aromolaran and Mitchel Taylor.
The biggest surprise shake-up is that Casa Amor has been axed for the first time in seven years.
Sammy said: ‘If I saw Jess walk into All Stars, we had a great experience together. I wouldn’t have any hard feelings against her and I would understand if she wanted to redo it because it was an amazing experience’
The second villa has been a highlight of the recent series of the show, seeing the boys and girls separated into two villas with a new group of bombshells to tempt them away from each other.
Sammy faced a number of difficulties while on Love Island including the Casa Amor loyalty test where he kissed two girls including Amber Wise, who he eventually coupled up with until Jess returned to the villa, and he realised his feelings towards her.
The TV personality admitted he may have made a few ‘mistakes a long the way’ to the final of Love Island but it is something he has learned from.
He said: ‘Personally I told myself before I went on the show that I would be completely myself the whole way through and try and make the best decisions as I can.
‘So in one respect I wouldn’t take anything back and I think we all make mistakes a long the way, as I probably did, maybe a few comments I said or the way I went about a couple of things was probably wrong, but we all make mistakes and can learn from them.
‘When you are in that environment it’s hard to get everything right all the time.’
Sammy continued: ‘I watched a few episodes back the other day. It’s funny watching yourself, sometimes I question myself, why on earth did I say that or why on earth did I do that? But at the same time, it’s very, very weird watching yourself.
‘I think a lot of people don’t realise just how much you don’t see watching the show. Even for me, seeing it back, I remember a day and so much happened that day and when watching it on TV it’s over in about four minutes, it’s crazy.’
Sammy faced a number of difficulties including the Casa Amor loyalty test where he kissed two girls including Amber Wise (pictured), who he eventually coupled up with until Jess returned to the villa, and he realised his feelings towards her
In June 2015, Love Island season one first aired and Sammy said he has been a big fan of the show and watched with his mum before applying to star on it.
He said it was ‘very surreal’ winning and that he and his family are ‘still in disbelief’ that he and Jess were voted as the winners over Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki.
Sammy added: ‘Love Island was something I’ve watched since I can’t remember with my mum and it’s something I’ve always wanted to have a crack at.
‘When I came off the show my mum had like a million and one questions about it. But other than that, I think she’s [his mum] just thought it was as surreal as me.
‘Like, if you went on and won a show that you didn’t really watch, as opposed to winning a show that you’ve watched for years, it’s very, very, very surreal. So yeah, to this day, we’re both still quite in disbelief about it’.
LOVE ISLAND ALL STARS: MEET THE CAST
Liberty Poole
AGE: 24
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m a lot more confident in who I am and sure about exactly what I want from a relationship. I just want to have fun and meet a lovely boy.
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since appearing? It’s always going to be awkward isn’t it, it’s always going to be weird seeing someone that you’ve been with getting with someone else. I wish my exes nothing but the best. I’m going to be focused on my own journey.
Kaz Kamwi
AGE: 29
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? To be totally honest, I actually really want to find love.
I had a great time last series but I want to have an even better time.
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve previously dated from the show? The thing is, I’m a bad b*tch so I will handle it with as much grace as I can.
Georgia Harrison
AGE: 29
SERIES: 3
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? This is the last year of my 20s so I want to go in the Villa and have some fun and hopefully meet someone that I can fall in love with. I’m lucky in the sense that I’ve got everything in my life that I could possibly wish for, apart from love.
If you had to pick your top Islanders from Series 1 to 10 to couple up with who would they be and why? Chris Taylor, he’s hilarious and the main thing I’m attracted to is a man who can make me laugh. What a fun guy and like I said, I’m looking for someone to TikTok with so I reckon he’d be game for that sort of stuff!
Demi Jones
AGE: 25
SERIES: 6
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I lost a lot of confidence with my health issues over the last couple of years but I’ve been smashing the gym this year, finding my confidence again and I’ve got it back. So, let’s find a man!
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since? It will be interesting to see if old flames get reignited. Naturally with Love Island paths are very much crossed and believe me, I have some paths!
Hannah Elizabeth
AGE: 33
SERIES: 1
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m returning to the Love Island Villa because I did it eight years ago and what an opportunity I never thought I’d get again. I’m not very good at finding love but I had a ball the first time, so I’m going to have a ball again.
You got engaged on the show last time, do you think wedding bells could be on the cards again this time round? Absolutely not, not in the Villa no. Maybe when I get out, but I’d need to give it a bit of time.
Georgia Steel
AGE: 25
SERIES: 4
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m 25, I have a house, a cat, a nice car – I have everything in life but a boyfriend, so why not give it as go.
You’ve been brave and honest in opening up about being conned by a former partner. How has this experience impacted the way in which you now approach dating?
I take that experience as a really positive reflection now. I look at it as something I had to go through to make me stronger and learn things in life for me to be able to learn what I want in my next partner.
Molly Smith
AGE: 29
SERIES: 6
Jake Cornish
AGE: 26
SERIES: 7
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since appearing? Well there is only one and that’s Liberty. We never ended with any bad blood between us and everything happens for a reason. We just become two different people in the end.
What will you do differently this time round? When it comes to people’s opinions, I don’t sit on the fence anymore. That is my way of life now, so I will take that into the Villa.
Toby Aromolaran
AGE: 24
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? If I’m Single and Love Island is an opportunity for me, how could you turn down the chance to find love again?!
You were in a long term relationship with Chloe Burrows, what do you think her reaction will be when she hears you are going into the Villa? I don’t know how she would take it. We will always have love for each other and I think she would wish me the best of luck, as I would certainly do the same.
Chris Taylor
AGE: 33
SERIES: 9
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? Last time I was only there for 15 days, so I want to do it and enjoy it all again. I am 33 now and getting on a bit – I am getting ear hair! It would be nice to have a girl to keep my ears trimmed for me!
How did the Barbie Movie come about? I was invited to an afterparty by Margot Robbie and then ended up at an after party with her. I started to panic and make conversation with her, just having really stupid chats. All I can assume is that my silly chat made an impression on Margot Robbie. 18 months later I got an email from Warner Brothers.
Luis Morrison
AGE: 29
SERIES: 1
Why are you returning to the famous Love Island Villa? It was the best experience of my life. I found love in the Villa before and who knows if I can find love in there again?
What will you do differently this time round?
I’m a lot older and wiser, so I know what I am getting myself into. I don’t have a game plan at all – I am an open book so I will go with the flow and see what happens.
Anton Danyluk
AGE: 29
SERIES: 5
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? For me it was a no brainer. I got the call and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and probably the best summer I have ever had in my life. Getting the chance to do it twice is going to be unbelievable.
Why do you think the Love Island Villa is the perfect place to find love?
I think this time with Love Island: All Stars, things will be different, as we all understand what it’s like to go on Love Island and the only thing now missing is finding a partner.
Mitchel Taylor
AGE: 27
SERIES: 10
Why are you returning to the Love Island villa? I think I went in with my heart on my sleeve the first time and got hurt and this time I am just going in to enjoy myself and if a connection happens, a connection happens.
In the summer you were given the name ‘Messy Mitch’, and a name that you have taken on as your own, can we expect more of the same in the series? I’ll be honest, I don’t really plan on being ‘Messy Mitch’. It just depends on what day of the week it is. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and what you see is what you get. I am very honest and very opinionated and I think that’s what people like me for.
Callum Jones
AGE: 27
SERIES: 6