Love Island Crowns Latest Winners As Severe Winds Disrupt Live Final
The winners of this year’s first season of Love Island have been announced.
On Monday night, the ninth series of the ITV2 reality show came to a close, with the public choosing Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan in the live final.
Kai was one of the series’ original contestants, having been in the villa since day one.
He coupled up with Sanam shortly after her entrance mid-way through the season, and they had remained an item ever since.
Kai and Sanam are your Love Island series 9 winners! ???? #LoveIslandpic.twitter.com/CeVNQkGcKU
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) March 13, 2023
Just behind them in second place were Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins, who initially paired up on their first day in the villa, but recoupled with various other Islanders until their reunion three weeks in.
Samie Elishi and Tom Clare took third place, while OGs Shaq Muhammad and Tanya Manhenga – whose pairing lasted almost the entire season – ended the season in fourth position.
They coupled up on day one and made it all the way to the final! Ron and Lana finish in second place #LoveIslandpic.twitter.com/fNEKBF5KFQ
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) March 13, 2023
The bombshells that truly bombshelled, Samie and Tom are finishing their Love Island journey in third place ???? #LoveIslandpic.twitter.com/9KutwVXh2w
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) March 13, 2023
OGs Shaq and Tanya said 'I love you' in week three, and now they're finishing as your fourth place couple! #LoveIslandpic.twitter.com/MfeKpp2fJ0
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) March 13, 2023
For its latest winter series, Love Island returned to South Africa for the first time since 2020, with another season set to air on ITV2 in the usual summer slot later in the year.
This ninth run marked Maya Jama’s first as host, and she returned to the villa on Monday to announce that Kai and Sanam had won and would split the £50,000 prize pot between them.
However, the live final wasn’t entirely smooth sailing.
Severe winds in South Africa meant that there was a bit of disruption, which Maya (and Love Island fans) joked about several times during the live episode:
The wind is stressing me out so much in that villa #loveisland
— Tiffany (@tiffanymcclurex) March 13, 2023
There is no need for them to be fighting the wind like this #loveisland
— Louis???? (@Louis__isiah) March 13, 2023
Nah the winds so bad the pool is making waves #LoveIsland
— lauren❤️???? (@laucw2709) March 13, 2023
Big shout out to the wind for being the most consistent thing throughout the series #LoveIsland
— Chloe (@Chloechloechloe) March 13, 2023
The only thing that has been consistent for the last 8 weeks on Love Island has to be the relentless South African wind. #loveIslandpic.twitter.com/f8h7CZJRgj
— Sandeep Mandalia (@sapness) March 14, 2023
The wind is showing no mercy #LoveIsland
— M I A ✨ (@rems_xo) March 13, 2023
The South African wind #loveislandpic.twitter.com/EvDe2ejjdh
— Murandakadzi Musaladhi ???????? (@mimi_nash) March 13, 2023
So @MayaJama nailing this tonight. Proper invested. Great presentation, perfect chats and its LIVE, with wind. Class. #loveisland
— Dixie (@dixieonline) March 13, 2023
The way the wind is blowing them sparklers. Please fire fighters better be close #LoveIsland
— Professional Biscuit Reviewer (@LazarusKumi) March 13, 2023
The South African winds doing the most to try and purge this cursed show from their shores #LoveIslandpic.twitter.com/F9YLBfSfFN
— Aisling Felly (@AislingFelly) March 13, 2023
the wind in this final is giving her #loveislandpic.twitter.com/SkRlLYRUZZ
— beth (@beefhope) March 13, 2023
Love Island will return to ITV2 for a new series from its usual location in Mallorca later this year.