Fans of Love Island: All Stars have erupted with claims that the show's outcome is already predetermined, accusing ITV of 'fixing' the result in favour of early frontrunners Jess Harding and Tommy Bradley. The highly anticipated new series launched on ITV2 on Thursday, hosted by Maya Jama, with the public voting to pair up the returning Islanders for the first time.
Public Pairings Spark Instant Backlash
The inaugural episode saw twelve former contestants, including past winners Millie Court, 29, and Jess Harding, 25, enter the villa in South Africa. The public were tasked with deciding the initial couples, leading to the pairing of series ten winner Jess with series 12 star Tommy Bradley, 22. The duo had previously exchanged flirty messages online and were seen getting close immediately, a move that left viewers sceptical.
Social media platform X, formerly Twitter, was quickly flooded with reactions. Many fans predicted Jess and Tommy would win the entire series, suggesting their narrative was being heavily pushed by producers. "The only couple that makes sense is Tommy and Jess," one viewer wrote, while another stated, "Watch Jess and Tommy win it."
The sentiment soon turned to accusations of unfair manipulation. "No offence, but I can see how this is working already. I don’t want Jess and Tommy to win," fumed one fan. Another added, "They have fixed this for Super Tommy Bradley and Jess Harding to win this," with a fourth questioning, "Why are ITV pushing Jess and Tommy so hard immediately? Might as well just give them the crown now."
Drama, Bombshells, and Brutal Takedowns
The launch night was not short of other dramatic moments. The couples formed by the public were: Belle Hassan, 27, with Sean Stone, 26; Whitney Adebayo, 28, with Jack Keating, 26; Helena Ford, 29, with Charlie Frederick, 30; Jess with Tommy; Leanne Amaning, 28, with Shaq Muhammad, 27; and Millie with Ciaran Davies, 23.
Several pairings came with pre-existing baggage. Helena revealed that Charlie, whom she knew from school, had insulted her looks and called her a 'dolphin' at her 16th birthday party. Belle described sweet shop owner Sean as 'no good' over his cringe-worthy chat-up lines.
The episode ended on a fiery note with the arrival of bombshell Scott van-der-Sluis, 25, making his fourth Love Island appearance. In a brutal move, Scott was asked to name the 'no good' couple and singled out Belle and Sean, savagely adding that Sean "isn't even an All Star" and was "one of the worst Islanders ever." Host Maya Jama then revealed Sean would not be staying in the villa, leaving him in shock.
Fan Favourites and Nepotism Claims
Elsewhere, fan support rallied behind Whitney Adebayo, who returned to the show following her split from and legal battle with ex-boyfriend Lochan Nowacki. Viewers praised her 'revenge body' and celebrated her comeback.
However, other returning Islanders faced scrutiny. Jack Keating, son of Boyzone star Ronan Keating, was met with claims of nepotism. The 26-year-old, who lasted just five days on his 2022 series, prompted comments like "Come and see nepotism" and "Nepotism is crazy" on social media. Jack stated he was back for a "revenge tour" to redeem his short-lived original experience.
The launch episode also featured a raunchy 'Good or No Good' icebreaker game, which resulted in all twelve contestants sharing a kiss. Love Island: All Stars continues nightly on ITV2 and ITVX.
