The live final of Love Island Series 13 aired on Monday night (July 27), with Lorenzo Alessi and Julia Majchrzak crowned champions. Jasmine Muller and Kavan Murphy finished as runners-up, while Angelista Gunda and Simba Kudyiwa took third place.
During the broadcast from the villa, Maya Jama chatted with former Islanders in the studio, with most of the cast present. However, sharp-eyed fans noticed that bombshell George Knight was conspicuously missing from both the live finale and a highlights reel that featured memorable moments from the entire series. He was also absent during the penultimate programme when former Islanders returned to the villa to decide which couple shouldn't progress to the final.
Fan reactions and George's silence
"The way they cropped George out of the montage #LoveIsland #LoveIslandUK," one fan observed. Another added: "The complete erasure of George is making me scream #loveisland."
George Knight departed the villa early on, stating personal reasons at the time. He later explained there had been a family crisis, though rumours have persisted that he was compelled to leave, which has never been verified by ITV or George himself.
Just hours before the final, George broke his week-long silence on Instagram, posting videos of himself picking up and driving a red car. He made no reference to Love Island, his absence from the returning Islanders episode, the live finale, or his fellow contestants.
Other missing Islanders
George was not the only Islander absent from the villa for the vote or the live final. Casa Amor boy Gabriel Garland was also missing, having been ejected from the show after an "incident" from his past surfaced shortly after he joined the villa. Following his departure, he told followers: "There was an incident that happened at a party I was at when I was a teenager. This incident is obviously one that should not be taken lightly and was very traumatic for everyone concerned." He added: "I just wanted to make it clear, the legal judge found no wrongdoing against me and I don't have a criminal record. This has resulted in me leaving Love Island, which is very disappointing."
All episodes of Love Island Series 13 are now streaming on ITVX.
