Love Island All Stars looks set for an explosive start as the returning Islanders discover the familiar faces they’ll be living with before a very awkward fist coupling.
In a first look at Monday’s debut episode Liberty Poole was left openmouthed as she was faced with her ex-boyfriend Jake Cornish walking through the door.
She admitted they hadn’t spoken for two years and could only say ‘Oh my God’ as he came bounding into the South Africa villa.
Yet luck was on Liberty’s side as the awkward reunion with her ex was interrupted by the arrival of her best friend Kaz Kwami who entered the Villa with ‘Messy’ Mitchel Taylor.
Asked if he’d be causing any drama this series after his famous love triangle with Abi Moores and Ella Barnes, Mitch insisted he wasn’t there to stir and was simply looking for love.
Love Island All Stars looks set for an explosive start on Monday as the returning Islanders discover the familiar faces they’ll be living with before a very awkward fist coupling (pictured Liberty Poole and Hannah Elizabeth)
Toby Aromolaran, Mitchel Taylor, Chris Taylor, Jake Cornish, Luis Morrison and Anton Danyluk were the boys returning to the villa
Liberty, 24, and Jake, 26, were originally favourites to win the seventh series of Love Island, but broke up and quit the show just days before the final after Movie Night revelations rocked their romance.
Upon her All Stars casting, Liberty admitted it might be ‘awkward’ coming across an ex-boyfriend in the South African villa, ahead of her face-to-face reunion with Jake.
They were not the only exes reuniting as Toby Aromolaran and Kaz – who were a couple on the show in 2021 before he moved on with Chloe Burrows – also came face-to-face.
Other show legends back to the iconic Love Island villa include Georgia Harrison – who has her eye on Barbie star Chris Taylor, Hannah Elizabeth, Demi Jones and Luis Morrison.
With all of the Islanders in the Villa, Love Island: All Stars host Maya Jama then arrived to greet them, kicking things off immediately with a challenge.
She explained: ‘Obviously this is Love Island: All Stars so things have got to be a little bit different haven’t they.
‘Well, I wonder who out of you fancies each other already? Boys come and stand with me.’
As Maya gathered the boys in front of the fire pit, she said: ‘Girlies, in a minute I am going to ask you to stand next to the boy that you fancy the most.
‘It doesn’t matter if more than one of you stands next to the same boy but you have to make your decision right now. Off you go!’
Luck was on Liberty’s side as the awkward reunion with her ex was interrupted by the arrival of her best friend Kaz Kwami who enters the Villa with ‘Messy’ Mitchel Taylor
Best friends Liberty and Kaz went for a chat to discuss how Liberty was feeling about being reunited with Jake and how the air could be cleared
Georgia Harrison and Demi Jones arrived hand in hand as they strutted into the villa
As the girls made their picks, it appeared that one lucky boy was particularly popular as he was chosen by three of the girls.
Ye all was not as it seemed as Maya went onto reveal a shock twist and informed the Islanders of the public vote.
She revealed: ‘The decision of who you couple up with is not down to any of you… it is down to the public.
‘They have already voted for who will couple up with who and I will be back later tonight to reveal the results of the public vote.’
Ahead of learning who they’d be coupled up with, best friends Liberty and Kaz went for a chat to discuss how Liberty was feeling about being reunited with Jake.
Liberty confessed: ‘You know what babe, I’ll have a chat tonight and because we are exes and we haven’t spoken I want to see exactly where he is at.’
Yet there wasn’t too much time to talk as later that night, Maya re-entered the Villa to gather the Islanders by the pool.
She revealed: ‘Girls earlier today I asked you to reveal who you fancy the most but the decision of who you will couple up with is actually in the hands of the public.
‘Are you ready to find out who they have chosen for you? Let’s do this!’
When asked if he’d be causing any drama this series after his famous love triangle with Abi Moores and Ella Barnes, Mitch insisted he wasn’t there for stir and was simply looking for love
With all of the Islanders in the Villa, Love Island: All Stars host Maya Jama then arrived to greet them, kicking things off immediately with a recoupling
Maya latwer re-entered the Villa to gather the Islanders by the poor for the recoupling
Love Island All Star’s hotly-anticipated launch comes after the show was ‘thrown into chaos’ last month when the cast clubbed together to put pressure on bosses to give them more cash.
After negotations, Love Island’s executive director Mike Spencer told the Mirror: ‘We are paying all of them exactly the same – and yes it’s more than the civilians get.
‘It’s not like the rumours I’ve heard elsewhere, you know some shows it can be £50,000 to appear it’s nothing like that. But I get it. It’s the name of the game to ask for more money. If I was going on the show I’d ask for a million.
‘We say we only want people looking for love and we research and we vet the contestants but only time will tell [what they are here for.],’ he added, insisting viewers would be able to tell if they are in the villa for anything other than finding someone special.
It was claimed last month that the Love Island All Stars contestants were refusing to sign their contracts after claiming a 433% increase on their original fee was simply not enough.
The Sun reported that the singletons were offered £2,000 a week for their appearance in the new villa which works out to be 433 percent more than their original stints, which earned them just £375 every seven days.
A source said: ‘[The cast] are pushing ITV for more cash because they’re saying £2,000 a week isn’t enough.
‘Many of the Islanders rely on their social media deals to make cash and by going into the villa, their revenue source will be down.’
Love Island All Stars kicks off at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX
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.
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 asking do you want to try out for this role as Ken – it was a tumble dryer of emotions.
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. If I don’t agree with something, I’m not going to hold it back.