WINNER TAKES ALL
Love Island winners 2023: Sammy and Jess beat Whitney and Lochan to £50k prize in huge shock result
JESS Harding and Sammy Root have been crowned the winners of Love Island, taking home a £50,000 prize pot.
The couple made it to the final two, beating the bookies' favourites Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki.
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Beautician Jess, 22, was the first Islander to step in the villa eight weeks ago and Sammy, also 22, entered as a bombshell a week later.
The couple's win came as a huge shock, even to them, after they were voted the least compatible pair in the villa by their fellow islanders.
Addressing their ups and downs Jess, from West London, told host Maya Jama: “I feel like the road I have been on is so unexpected, but we’re here now.
“When we got voted least compatible couple, I feel like that was a kick in the teeth, I knew what we had was special."
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Sammy, who said that he loved Jess in his final speech earlier in the show, added: “For me, feelings is a big thing and I’m not great at it.
"But at the same time when you’ve got a connection like this you end up going back.”
Reflecting on their time in Casa Amor, and both returning from the villa's biggest test single, the project manager from Kent continued: “Throughout Casa a lot of things fill your head.
"Knowing I was single, she’s going to be cracking on, and the doing that myself, I realised straight away I knew I’d done the wrong thing.
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";And when I saw her trotting in on her own, I knew.”
Wig shop owner Whitney from Camden, and account executive Lochan from Windsor, were gracious in defeat and said Jess and project manager Sammy were their winners.
However, the result left some viewers threatening to call Ofcom, again.
Many were left questioning the final result, with one writing on Twitter: "This show is much a fix, how can Sammy and Jess win am still shocked the same guy that didn’t find Jess attractive."
Another said: "I need the ofcom complaint email immediately."
Ella Thomas and Tyrique Hyde, who coupled up on day one, finished in third place following a furious row in the villa hours before the final.
Dumped islander Molly Marsh, who made a historic return to the villa in Casa Amor, and her basketball player partner Zachariah Noble finished fourth.
Their journey in the villa wasn’t an easy one either, with Zachariah’s head being turned by bombshell Kady McDermott.
But they became official in the final when he popped the girlfriend question in his emotional speech.
He said: “I'm now at a point where I find myself daydreaming about the adventures I want to do with you. Protecting you and loving you.
“I lost you once, I won't lose you twice, let's make it official. What are you saying, do you want to be my girlfriend?”
Sammy - who had his head turned by earlier in the series - dropped the L bomb to Jess during his speech.
He later explained to a surprised Maya: “When it feels right, it feels right.”
The stars celebrated having made it to the final by dressing up in style for the Love Island ball.
Model Ella, from Glasgow, looked incredible in her green strapless dress, as she told Tyrique in her speech: “From the boy I met on day one to the man you are today, I’ve seen you change and grow so much - just for me.”
With emotions running high, Tyrique won a round of applause from the villa when he told her: "You showed me it's cool to open up about my emotions, it's cool to be vulnerable.
"You are my first love, my first girlfriend and I sure as hell hope my last.
"I love you and I can't wait to write this chapter together, because when I'm with you, I feel like I'm flying.”
It comes after the future of Love Island's Winter series was announced this week.
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The Sun also exclusively revealed when Love Island's summer series reunion episode will air.
The 2023 summer series may be coming to an end tonight, but fans won't have long to wait for their next fill of Love Island antics.
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