Love Island bosses have unveiled the cast for this year’s upcoming winter series.
It’s all change at the Bafta-winning reality show in the lead-up to its ninth season, with a new January slot in the schedule, a new villa in South Africa and a new host in Maya Jama, who’s been a favourite to front Love Island among fans of the show for a number of years.
With a week to go until the new villa opens its doors, ITV has now revealed the 10 Islanders looking for lasting love (or, at the very least, a Boohoo deal) this time around.
Among the newcomers are a science student, Love Island’s first ever partially-sighted contestant, an actor who once shared the screen with Daniel Craig and Will Young (no, not that one).
Get to know the new cast a little better below...
Tanya Manhenga
Age: 22
From: Liverpool
Job: Biomedical science student and influencer
She says: “I’m looking for a boyfriend and I think being in a villa with lots of different people will help me work out who it is I may want.”
Tell us something people might not know? “I have Vitiligo, which is a skin pigmentation, you may not even notice it. It’s on my lip and I have a stripe on my hair.
“Not many people know that but I think it’s quite cute. I don’t care about covering it up all the time, I think it’s a vibe.”
Kai Fagan
Age: 24
From: Manchester
Job: Science and PE teacher
He says: “I’m looking for the right girl. I feel like I have quite high expectations. I don’t feel I should commit to someone unless I’m absolutely buzzing over them, because it’s not fair on them.”
Tell us something people might not know? “I’m a Jamaican citizen. Because of that I played rugby 7s for Jamaica. I play semi-professional rugby now for Burnage RFC.
“I’ve technically got three different degrees and went to three different unis.”
Lana Jenkins
Age: 25
From: Luton
Job: Makeup artist
She says: “I fall in love quickly. I tend to know quite soon if I could fall in love with that person and then, as long as everything is going well, I’ll probably tell them I love them in about a week.”
Tell us something people might not know? “When I was six-years-old I used to live in Spain and I was in an episode of Benidorm as an extra.”
Ron Hall
Age: 25
From: Essex
Job: Financial advisor
He says: “I’m the most genuine person you’ll meet. I’m genuine, caring and I’m a nice person – which you don’t find these days.”
Tell us something people might not know? You’d never know I am blind in one eye.
“It was the result of a football injury when I was eight, I went in for a header and got kicked in the face. I’ve got two different coloured eyes, one blue and one green. It’s added to my character, there are so many people that are worse off than me. And if anything, losing something like that makes you realise that.
“It’s not hindered me in any shape or form. It’s a good conversation starter I must admit.”
Anna-May Robey
Age: 20
From: Swansea
Job: Payroll administrator
She says: “I want a boyfriend, I want to find someone who makes me laugh. I’ve been single for quite a while, my mother is bugging me, she’s like, ‘You need to find a boyfriend.’ I’m just excited to try something new and I think going on Love Island is a good way to meet someone.”
Tell us something people might not know? I went on a date once and I never saw him again. We went for food and shared a bottle of wine. As I was speaking to him he fell asleep! I had to clink his wine glass to wake him up.
Will Young
Age: 23
From: Buckinghamshire
Job: Farmer
He says: “Having grown up on a farm, it’s been quite difficult juggling relationships and work. Love Island will give me time away from the farm to solely go out and find love.
“I think I’m at the time of my life where I’m mature enough to go and find a wife.”
Tell us something people might not know? “Every night I light a candle and meditate for 20-25 minutes. A girl I was seeing told me to meditate, I tried it and loved it. I stopped seeing her and carried on meditating!
“It’s a nice way to self reflect, taking a minute on my day/ week. It’s really nice and sets me up for a nice sleep.”
Tanyel Revan
Age: 26
From: London
Job: Hair stylist
She says: “I’m hard to get, confident, funny, charismatic, good looking and happy. I’m also a very loyal person, what is there not to love?”
Tell us something people might not know? “I don’t like pretty boys, they give me the ‘ick’ because they always have a crap personality.
“Channing Tatum is handsome but not too pretty. He’s manly and he can dance. If a man can dance I’m in love with him straight away.”
Shaq Muhammad
Age: 24
From: London
Job: Airport security officer
He says: “I haven’t had the best luck with previous relationships. So I thought, ‘why not be in the sun and potentially meet the love of my life?’.
“Hopefully I do come out with my future wife. The person I hope to marry one day. Hopefully she’s in the villa.”
Tell us something people might not know? “Every time I watch Dear John I cry. That’s my favourite film. Any time I’m with someone and they say, ‘Let’s watch a romantic film’, I’m like, ‘How about Dear John, how does that sound?’”
Olivia Hawkins
Age: 27
From: Brighton
Job: Ring girl and actor
She says: I’m 27 and I’ve never been in a relationship so I feel like now I’m really ready to settle down and hopefully find the love of my life.
Tell us something people probably don’t know? “I did a film with Jason Statham and had a nice 10-minute convo about life. I’ve been a ring girl for KSI, I played a waitress in James Bond with Daniel Craig and I’ve also been a body double for Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson.”
Haris Namani
Age: 21
From: Doncaster
Job: TV salesman
He says: “I’ve never found love. I think this is the show that can help me. It’s the best opportunity for me to find the girl and find the right one. I’ve obviously not found the right one myself.”
Tell us something people probably don’t know? “I’ve never taken a girl home, I’m not going to say I’ve fallen in love until I’ve taken them to meet my mum and dad or sisters and brother.”
Love Island returns on Monday 16 January at 9pm on ITV2.