Love Island Franchise Makes History With Two Winning Black Couples
July 2024 was a historic summer for Black “Love Island” fans, as the first-ever Black couples won the U.K. and U.S. versions of the show.
In the U.K., Michelle “Mimii” Ngulube and Joshua “Josh” Oyinsan became the first fully black couple to win “Love Island U.K.” since it aired back in 2015. Serena Page and Kordell Beckham became the first black couple to win “Love Island U.S.A.,” with top-four couples being people of color.
Former Love Island contestant and runner-up Whitney Adebayo expressed her excitement and joy on TikTok, explaining how the victories of these black couples represented and inspired black people, especially black girls. Adebayo emphasized that Ngulube and Oyinsan’s win was significant in showing that black people can succeed.
“The fact that [Mimii] represents so many of us who have come before her and the black girls who are looking up to her,” Adebayo said. “It’s bigger than that. You need to understand it took a decade [and] 11 series’ for this to happen. For the black community, it’s a big thing.”
Other reality dating franchises have faced criticism for their lack of diversity, with the first Black lead of “The Bachelorette,” Rachel Lindsay, appearing in 2017 and 2021 “The Bachelor”’s Matt James. Shows like “Too Hot to Handle” are diverse but haven’t reached the same milestone in terms of winning couples.
Love Island sets new standards for representation in reality dating shows, influencing the genre to become more inclusive.
The success of Ngulube, Oyinsan, Page, and Beckham not only represents Black love but opens more doors for inclusivity on “Love Island.” As fans anticipate upcoming seasons of “Love Island,” they hope for continued representation of diverse stories.
