Love Island star Charleen Murphy has disclosed how she genuinely knew fellow contestant Sean Fitzgerald before they both appeared on the programme together, revealing he was 'on her list' for a potential romance. The Dublin-born social media influencer, 27, recently took part in the 13th series of ITV's dating reality show, entering as one of the Casa Amor bombshells.
How Charleen and Sean Met Before the Show
Speaking on GK Barry's Saving Grace podcast, Charleen explained that she first met Sean when she was co-hosting live editions of her own podcast, Hold My Drink. GK asked: 'You knew Fitzy because he did one of your tour shows. Is that how you know him?' Charleen revealed: 'He did. Yeah, so I had met him previously to that. So, he'd done our blind date segment. We had like a guy and three girls and then the guy picks. It's like between a sheet - kind of like the old fashioned thing. And he picked a girl to win. And it was my friend who actually won it. And they go on a 'mystery date' or whatever.'
Sean's Journey in the Villa
Meanwhile, primary school teacher Sean was amongst the original lads to step into the villa. When Casa Amor came around, the Gaelic footballer insisted he was keen for a challenge after being paired with Lola Deal from day one. However, he remained faithful to the police detective from Kent, and they were ultimately eliminated from the villa together.
Charleen's Different Path
Charleen had a vastly different journey in the villa. Her entrance was eagerly awaited by numerous fans, including her 400,000-plus Instagram followers, and she rapidly formed a connection with Kavan Murphy. Despite opting to bring her back to the main villa, Kavan swiftly had a change of heart and announced his wish to reunite with Jasmine Muller. He did exactly that.
Some viewers questioned why there appeared to be no chemistry between Charleen and Sean, particularly as she initially welcomed him in Casa by saying: 'Is it nice to see a friendly face?' She later confessed to the group that the duo were already acquainted with each other. While some may have wondered whether this hinted at a romantic past between the pair, Charleen has now set the record straight.
Charleen's 'List' and Sean's Potential
When pushed on whether there was potential for them to pursue their own romance in the villa, Charleen revealed: 'A lot of people said that he was talking about it in there.' She mentioned that Sean, Kavan, Aidan and Lorenzo were all 'on her list'. This admission suggests that, despite their prior meeting, the spark didn't ignite in the villa.
Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
