Love Island will return to our screens next week, with the winter version of the popular dating show returning to South Africa.
TV and radio presenter Maya Jama, 28, is taking over as host from Laura Whitmore, 37, who announced she was stepping down in August. In a first-look teaser released last month, Jama appeared with brunette wavy locks and wearing a glittery jumpsuit, seemingly adorned with a sketch of Cupid's arrow.
Also featured was a pink velvet, bejewelled bucking bronco, with the new host ready to encourage those hoping to find their perfect match to "grab love by the horns".
READ MORE: First Love Island 2023 contestant revealed, and she's a Scouser
Last week, ITV bosses confirmed Love Island will air from January 16. And now produces of the show have started to introduce the all-important boys and girls who will be taking part.
Here are all the contestants who have been announced so far:
Tanya
The first Islander from the opening line-up is a 22-year-old from Liverpool. Tanya Manhenga describes herself as a student, studying biomedical science, and influencer.
When asked why Love Island, and why now, Tanya said: "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."
Discussing what gives her the "ick", she added: "Guys that don’t wear socks in the house. Why are your feet flapping all around the house? Guys have huge feet too, yuck. Also, guys in the bathtub with no bubbles, such an ick, no."
She added: "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
Kai Fagan was the second contestant to be revealed. The 24-year-old, from Manchester, is a science and PE teacher.
When asked why he thinks he is single, Kai said: "I’m single by choice. 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."
Kai also said friends and family would describe him as "chilled, caring, very impulsive and a good guy", before adding: "I always put my friends and family first and spend a lot of time with them."
He's also a semi-professional rugby player at Burnage RFC. Kai said: "I’m a Jamaican citizen. Because of that I played rugby 7s for Jamaica. I’ve technically got three different degrees and went to three different unis."
Lana
Lana Jenkins is a makeup artist from Luton. The 25-year-old said she falls in love quickly.
She added: "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."
When asked what gives her the "ick", she replied: "I don’t mind people texting me all the time but if you send me question marks if I’ve not replied to you in a while, you’re gone. That's a really big red flag for me! Also if I see a guy trip over, that's an instant turn off."
Her "claim to fame" is that she's worked with lots of celebrities as a makeup artist. She was also an extra in an episode of Benidorm when she was just six years old.
Ron
Ron Hall is a 25-year-old financial advisor from Essex. He said he'll being "fun and charisma" to the villa, before adding: "I just want to be naturally myself in there, have good times and make memories. I think people will enjoy my company."
When asked to tell producers something not many people know about him, he said: "On meeting me, you’d never know I am blind in one eye. It was the result of a football injury when I was 8; 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."
He also said he's a good guy to date, because: "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."
Anna-May
Anna-May Robey is a payroll administrator from Swansea. The 20-year-old said she applied for Love Island because she wants a boyfriend, "someone who can make me laugh".
She explained: "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."
Sharing her worst date ever, Anna-May said: "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."
Explaining how friends and family would describe her, she added: "Energetic. I’m always running around singing and screaming. My parents are always like, ‘Shut up!’ I work from home all day so I don’t really speak to people in person for two or three days a week, so when my father comes home, he’ll want to sit down and chill out, and I’m there chewing his ear off!"
Will
Will Young is a farmer from Buckinghamshire. He said having grown up on a farm, it can be difficult to juggle relationships and work.
The 23-year-old added: "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."
Will said he lights a candle each night and meditates for 20-25 minutes, after an ex told him to try it. He said: "I stopped seeing her and carried on meditating! It’s a nice way to self reflect, taking a minute on my day or week. It’s really nice and sets me up for a nice sleep."
If someone was to play him in a film of his life, Will would want Sir David Attenborough to do it. He said: "Imagine hearing his calming voice talking while he’s feeding the animals, his top off, some short shorts… he would rock it."
Tanyel
Tanyel Revan is a hair stylist from North London. The 26-year-old said she will bring "energy and confidence" to the villa, as she is "funny, loud, feisty, charismatic."
When asked why someone should want to date her, Tanyel said: "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?"
Her celebrity crush is Channing Tatum, and she doesn't like "pretty boys". She added: "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
Shaq Muhammad is an airport security officer from London. The 24-year-old has chosen to enter the villa as "I haven’t had the best luck with previous relationships."
He said: "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."
Shaq admits his friends and family would say he falls in love quickly. He added: "I’m the type of person that wears my heart on my sleeve. If I find someone I click with, I fall very hard, very fast. Sometimes that can be a bad thing. I’m a very emotional person. It can be a blessing and a curse. "
He also said he cries every time he watches his favourite film, Dear John.
Olivia
Olivia Hawkins is a ring girl and actress from Brighton. The 27-year-old said she has never been in a relationship and feels like now she is "really ready" to settle down.
She is hoping to meet the love of her life, and said she will bring "fun, vibes and maybe a little bit of drama" to the villa. Olivia describes herself as a "very confident, bubbly person".
As she works as an actress, Olivia said her claim to fame is that she once did a film with Jason Statham and "had a nice 10-minute convo about life". [sic] She has also been a ring girl for KSI, played a waitress in James Bond with Daniel Craig, and has been a body double for Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson.
Haris
Haris Namani from Doncaster is a TV salesman, and the 21-year-old is going on Love Island because he's never been in love before.
He said: "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."
Haris describes himself as: "I’m different, I’m a unique guy, the way I act; confident, not awkward, especially with the girls. I’m friendly, I’m very respectful as well."
He added: "Anyone who meets me, I don’t think they have anything bad to say about me. I don’t give them that bad impression to say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to speak to him again.’"
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