The original winning winter Love Island couple have given their thoughts on the new series and which new star has already got their backing.
Paige Turley and Finn Tapp are still going strong three years on from first meeting in South Africa thanks to the ITV2 show, with the happy couple looking forward to welcome another winning couple to the winter Love Island club later this year.
Chatting exclusively to the Mirror just hours before Maya Jama begins her hosting duties this evening, Finn joked he and his Scottish girlfriend had 'milked' being the one and only winning winter couple long enough and are ready for a new pairing to take over as reigning champions.
The two stars also revealed how they feel about Maya, 28, replacing Laura Whitmore as the show's host, following Laura's decision to quit Love Island after last year's summer series.
"I think we've milked for long enough now so it's time for someone else to get the crown," Finn jokes when asked how he and Paige feel about the second winter edition of the show finally happening.
"At the minute everyone [who has been on the show] has been to Majorca apart from us, so now we're going to [have more] who have been to South Africa."
Paige and Finn's love story began just weeks before the world shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic beginning at the start of 2020 - meaning the new couple faced some unprecedented challenges at the start of their relationship.
But the two stars think lockdowns gave them a great basis to get to know each other without being distracted from showbiz parties and star-studded events.
"When we came out into the press debrief, they said to us 'this has come out, this and this etc' and then 'also, one more thing - there's a thing called Covid' but [implied] it was just a cold and that was kind of it until three weeks later [when lockdowns began]," Paige
"It was like 'there's a dangerous killer virus called Covid' and we were like 'shut up - who called me ugly online?' " Finn jokingly added as he and Paige laughed.
"You just want to see the funniest memes about you."
Paige and Finn's stint on Love Island came as Laura stepped in to cover for the show's original host Caroline Flack at the very start of 2020, with the Irish star taking over hosting duties permanently after Caroline's passing at the age of 40 on February 15, 2020.
Laura quit as Love Island host last year, shortly after announcing Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti as winners of the 2022 series, and Maya was subsequently announced as her replacement.
"I think it will be good - I've seen the [pictures of Maya] landing in a helicopter into the villa," Paige admits when asked how she thinks Love Island will look with a new host.
She continued to say: "So i think they're going to make it big this year, especially with it being the first time back in South Africa, and I think it's going to be good for sure.
"We loved Laura as a host but Maya will just as good. We're excited."
"It will be just as good," Paige added, with Finn agreeing they thought Laura was "great" but is also looking forward to seeing Maya and the new islanders later this evening.
And there's one Love Island newbie Finn is particularly keen to see on the screen.
"Finn's favourite is Will [Young]," Paige revealed during our chat.
"I've seen Will on TikTok before - he dances with sheep and swims in mud," he explained, with Paige jokingly quipping: "For someone who's not seen Will online like myself, you don't sell him very well!"
"He dances with sheep!" Finn continued, "It's not like a spiritual thing - he does dance moves then breast strokes in mud. So I think anyone who couples up with Will, they will have a good laugh.
"That's what I'm trying to get at."
*Love Island begins this evening on ITV2 and ITVX at 9pm.
