Television presenter Sam Thompson found himself in the hot seat during a live appearance on ITV's This Morning, after past flirtatious messages with Love Island star Helena Ford came to light.
Awkward Questions on the Sofa
Joining hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard on Thursday to discuss the new Love Island: All Stars series, the conversation quickly turned to his history with contestant Helena Ford, 29. The I'm A Celebrity winner, 33, attempted to deflect but was pressed on the nature of their communications.
"It was of a flirty nature," Sam eventually confirmed, after Cat Deeley probed whether Helena had "slid into his DMs." The presenter grew visibly nervous, trying to change the subject by pointing to new pictures of host Maya Jama.
The 'Hideaway Helena' Saga
The origins of the story date back to 2017, when Helena, then a contestant on Love Island, sent a now-infamous tweet about Sam. The message read: 'Where do I apply to sit on Sam Thompson's face? Asking for a mate.'
Sam later discussed the tweet on his podcast, 'Staying Relevant', with co-host Pete Wicks. He revealed that when he met Helena in person at the filming of Love Island's spin-off show Aftersun, she made another cheeky remark, asking "if the Hideaway was free" there and then. The Hideaway is the villa's private bedroom for couples.
After a clip of the podcast discussion was shared on TikTok, Helena herself commented: "They don’t call me hideaway Helena for nothing."
All Stars Launch After Wildfire Delay
The awkward on-air grilling coincided with the long-awaited launch of Love Island: All Stars. The series was originally scheduled to begin on Monday 12 January 2026, but was delayed for three days due to the devastating wildfires in South Africa, where the show is filmed.
The Daily Mail revealed the show would finally launch on Thursday 15 January on ITV2. The new series promises a dramatic start, with reports indicating all twelve contestants will kiss on the very first night during a raunchy icebreaker game called 'Good or No Good', hosted by Maya Jama. This will be followed by the entrance of a bombshell contestant, which allegedly sparks a "massive row" requiring Maya to intervene.
The star-studded line-up includes returning favourites such as Millie Court, 29, Jack Keating, 26, Jess Harding, 25, and Helena Ford herself. To make up for the lost days of drama, ITV will air a full episode on Saturday evening, a slot typically reserved for the 'Unseen Bits' compilation.
This Morning airs weekdays from 10am on ITV1 and ITVX.
