The Love Island UK Winners Ranked From Worst to Best
If Ekin-Su isn’t in your top three, you’re wrong
It’s the infamous text tone heard around the world! For more than decade, Love Island UK viewers have watched hundreds of hot British singles graft, couple up, and break each other’s hearts in the spirit of finding their forever person and winning a £50,000 grand prize? But which winner is the best? We have our opinions.
For the uncultured, Love Island UK, ITV‘s hit reality TV dating show, hosts a group of singles in a villa in Mallorca, Spain, for up to eight weeks without access to the outside world. The islanders couple up in hopes of finding love while forming genuine friendships, facing public votes, and playing challenges designed to cause drama. The summer series has cultivated some of the most well known reality TV stars, including Season 2 winners Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey, who are married with three children, and Maura Higgins and Molly-Mae Hague, who have turned their appearances into full-blown media careers.
See the Love Island UK winners ranked from worst to best
Through pies to the face, sneaky meetings on the terrace, sexy nights in the hideaway, and plenty of chats, all of the Love Island UK found love—if at least for a moment. It’s almost impossible not to reflect on the winners past after a new season comes to a close. Therefore, we’ve ranked the winners of Love Island UK below based on the drama of their season, compatibility between the couple, and overall likability.
Season 1 (2015) – Jess Hayes & Max Morley
Take this placement with a grain of salt. Season one was not difficult to watch; however, as the first, there’s always room for improvement. Jessica Hayes entered the villa on day one. She struggled to find a match before Max Morley arrived as a bombshell on day 14. The pair coupled up during week five after unsuccessful couplings with Joshua Ritchie and Omar Sultani. Morley and Hayes won the £50,000 grand prize after Morley swept Hayes off her feet. While shorter than fan favorites Hannah Elizabeth and Jonathon Clark, their relationship was full of cheesy, love-infused moments that captivated viewers. The couple split up shortly after the villa, citing cheating rumors and pressure from fans as the reason.
Season 4 (2018) – Dani Dyer & Jack Fincham
It’s hard to place Dani Dyer, daughter of actor Danny Dyer, this close to the bottom; however, looking back to this season, the most notable moment is Hayley Hughes’ infamous question, “So Wales is in Cardiff?”
Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham partnered on day one when the boys were asked to choose a girl to couple up with. Immediately, the couple appeared smitten with each other and stayed committed through the litany of bombshells, including Jack’s ex-girlfriend. Viewers enjoyed witnessing the pair work through the hurdles in their love story, leading to their win. Jack announced the couple’s final split after public conflicts in April 2019, shortly after the 2018 season ended, expressing the love the pair will always have for each other despite the end of their relationship.
Season 11 (2024) – Mimii Ngulube & Josh Oyinsan
Mimii Ngulube and Josh Oyinsan made history in their 2024 win as Love Island UK‘s first entirely Black winners. The pair coupled up after Casa Amor when Josh swooped in and swept Mimii off her feet, effectively healing her broken heart from splitting with Ayo. While the couple only had a short amount of time together, Oyinsan repeatedly showed his affection for Mimii through acts of love that warmed the hearts of everyone watching.
After winning season 11, the couple continued their relationship outside the villa, promising to travel the two-hour journey from Mimii’s Portsmouth to Josh’s London.
Season 9 (2023) – Kai Fagan & Sanam Harrinanan
Despite Love Island’s track record and international acclaim, the winter seasons in Cape Town, South Africa, are incomparable. While the placement is low, Kai and Sanam’s love story is unforgettable for Love Island. Fagan and Harrinanan’s Season 9 win marked the first time someone from Casa Amor took home the final prize.
Kai Fagan’s Love Island journey from day one was complex. It’s safe to say his experience didn’t start until meeting Sanam in Casa Amor on day 32. Together, the pair make one of the sweetest and most wholesome pairs to exit the Love Island villa. While it was adorable to watch, wholesome rarely makes for good TV. The pair moved in together and announced their engagement in April 2024.
Season 3 (2017) – Amber Davies & Kem Cetinay
Hello, Casa Amor. Season three introduced the mid-season twist that changed the path of Love Island forever. This season holds a special place for me as the first season I watched. Winners Amber Davis and Kem Cetinay coupled up on day six, leaving their original couples to nourish the connection forming. The pair recoupled twice with other islanders. However, their love for each other united them, leading them to win the show’s third season.
Amber and Kem announced their split in December 2017, a few months after the villa, citing arguments and conflicting schedules.
Season 6 (2020) – Finley Tapp & Paige Turley
The ITV dating show relocated to South Africa for its first winter season in 2020, bringing tears, drama, several Lukes, and Lewis Capaldi’s ex-girlfriend with it. Paige Turley and Finley Tapp were the crowned winners of this unique season. The pair coupled up on day six when Finn entered the villa, saving Paige from a few unsuccessful pairings. The couple worked through their problems throughout the eight weeks with humor, love, and genuine care for each other that you can’t help but root for.
Following Love Island, Paige and Finn moved in together in Manchester shortly after Love Island in 2020. However, the couple split three years later in April 2023.
Season 2 (2016) – Cara De La Hoyde & Nathan Massey
The earlier seasons of the UK dating show offered an authenticity that petered out as the seasons continued, and winners Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey are living proof. In one of the most successful love stories, the pair coupled up on day one after laying eyes on each other and remained a couple through the final.
Cara and Nathan beat runners-up and current married couple Alex Bowen and Olivia Buckland to secure the winning title and cash prize. The couple briefly broke up for seven months in 2017 before rekindling their romance and announcing the birth of their first child, Freddie. They eventually wed and welcomed their second child, Delilah, in July 2020.
Season 10 (2023)- Jess Harding & Sammy Root
Jess Harding is easily one of the most fun Islanders to watch in Love Island‘s history. The blonde from London entered the villa on day one full of laughs and a bubbly personality that drew bombshell Sammy in when he joined the Islanders on day four. This pair sits at the fourth spot solely due to the never-ending drama that reeled viewers in. After coupling up, Sammy and Jess’s battles began as the former’s wandering eye led him to recouple twice with incoming bombshells.
Eventually, the pair settled down and made their Love Island relationship exclusive just before winning season 10 in July 2023. Jess and Sammy dated outside the villa for a few months before calling it quits in October 2023 and releasing separate statements on the split.
Season 7 (2021) – Liam Reardon & Millie Court
Millie Court’s patience should be studied. The East Londoner and her current boyfriend, Liam Reardon, entered the villa as bombshells on days nine and four, respectively. The pair coupled up once Millie entered the villa, stealing Liam from his original couple with Faye Winter. Millie and Liam managed to remain together through the end of the season and after the villa—despite Liam’s Casa Amor relationship. The success and determination of this couple to make their relationship work is the sole reason for their high placement.
After leaving Love Island, Liam and Millie dated for a year before announcing their breakup in July 2022; however, just like in Love Island, the pair found their way back to each other and reconciled in 2023.
Season 8 (2022) – Davide Sanclimenti & Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu
Season eight of Love Island UK played out like every enemies-to-lovers romance novel. Winners Davide Sanclimenti and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu took their conflict-heavy relationship to the real world, where the problems continued.
The pair coupled on day three when Ekin-Su entered the villa as a bombshell, intending to find love whatever it takes. Davide’s strong accent and stronger personality clashed with Ekin-Su’s unapologetic boldness, leading to a rollercoaster of a relationship that kept viewers and Islanders entertained. The couple eventually settled into their relationship and won season eight, winning everyone’s hearts with their love story.
The winning duo’s ups and downs kicked off outside the villa when they announced their first split in June 2023. After being spotted together and fueling rumors of rekindling, the pair shared news of the final split in January 2024.
Season 5 (2019) – Amber Gill & Greg O’Shea
This season of Love Island is the blueprint for why the reality show garnered the international acclaim it holds. While winners Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea are no longer together, the journey that led to this win and relationship is incomparable. Greg entered the villa on day forty-six and coupled with original cast member Amber Gill, poaching her from a friendship couple.
Greg entered the villa after Michael Griffiths returned from Casa Amor with Joanna Chimonides, leaving Amber alone. After days of blow-out arguments, Greg’s calm and caring demeanor is a welcome reprieve for viewers rooting for Amber to find love. Though the pair didn’t last outside the villa and were in a couple for a week, the intimate connection, the two formed through a drama-filled season made this couple the easiest one to root for and deserving of the number one spot.
