Ope Sowande, the newest contestant on Love Island, has a surprising previous television appearance: he was a backing dancer on Strictly Come Dancing. The 27-year-old West End star performed with Sarah Hadland during her Musicals Week Charleston to Popular from Wicked.
Speaking before entering the Love Island villa, Ope expressed his fondness for the experience. “I danced with Sarah, and she was amazing!” he said. “It was really, really fun to be on that show.” He is the first Love Islander to have appeared on Strictly before joining the reality dating show.
Ope revealed he would love to return to Strictly as a contestant. “Could you imagine? That would be incredible. I’m going to focus on the villa for now, but who wouldn’t want to be on Strictly?” he added. He acknowledged that his time on Strictly taught him to take things as they come, a mindset he plans to apply in the villa.
Ope intends to be his authentic self and avoid stirring up drama. “I want to be straightforward and honest. No pot stirring,” he explained. However, he admitted he wouldn’t mind observing drama from a distance, comparing it to “watching with a telescope, ooh what’s going on, sip the tea.”
Despite his laid-back approach, Ope said he won’t play it safe, preferring to use humour to connect with potential partners. “My thing is to go for the goal and make someone laugh straight away,” he said. “I think that’s the key to love and the key to getting girls.”
