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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Kate Lally

All the Love Island contestants who have come from Merseyside

As this year's winter Love Island gets underway, viewers can expect more drama, romance and fun in the sun.

Since 2015, the popular dating programme has given fans everything from breakups and make-ups, to dates, and even marriages from contestants who have left the show. And amid all the coupling up, there have been a number of men and women from Merseyside in the villa.

This year, like many others, will feature a contestant from Liverpool. The first to be announced, Tanya Manhenga describes herself as a student, studying biomedical science, and influencer.

READ MORE: Win a £50 Just Eat voucher to celebrate the return of winter Love Island

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."

Love Island 2023 contestant Tanya Manhenga (ITV)

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."

Here we'll take a look at all the other Islanders to come from Merseyside over the years.

Hannah Elizabeth

Hannah Elizabeth (ITV)

Season one, runner-up

25-year-old model and playboy bunny Hannah Elizabeth made her mark on the show’s first season.

As previously reported, Hannah coupled up with Jon Clarke on day one, eventually coming in second place. Hannah made Love Island history when Jon proposed to her while still on the show after five weeks of knowing each other.

Jon, who went on to star in The Only Way is Essex, wrote her a poem, reading: “Love is mad. Love is crazy, love makes me feel like a daisy. Love is scary, love is cool though. Loving you makes me feel like a rainbow.”

The two were the favourites to win but Jess Hayes and Max Morley went on to win the crown. Sadly Hannah and Jon split in October 2015, a few weeks after the final.

Hannah, now 32, is currently dating Frank Major and welcomed a baby boy in 2019 with her then partner, George Andreeti.

Katie Salmon

Katie Salmon (Liverpool ECHO)

Season two, fourth place

Katie Salmon, from Wirral, came fourth place in the second season of the show with Adam Maxted, a professional wrestler.

Katie is probably best known for being half of Love Island’s first same-sex couple with Sophie Gradon. Sophie took her own life in 2018, leading to calls for the show to be axed.

Sophie broke up with Katie, then 20, to leave the show to be with dumped islander Tom Powell. Katie has 260k Instagram followers and now lives in Thailand.

The 26-year-old got engaged in December 2021, when her boyfriend Harry asked her to marry him on the beach. Katie welcomed a baby girl called Thaiga (pronounced Tiger) in March, after revealing her pregnancy in January.

But it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the couple as their home in Thailand was robbed last year of all their possessions, including phones, money, cards and clothes.

Gabby Allen

Gabby Allen (ITV)

Season three, fourth place

Gabby Allen was a fan favourite when she coupled up with former Blazin’ Squad singer Marcel Sommerville in Love Island’s third season in 2017. But the romance ended in heartbreak when Marcel cheated on Gabby while they were on holiday together after the show.

Gabby went on Celebrity Big Brother in 2018, featuring alongside Dan Osbourne. She confirmed she was dating X Factor and Rak-Su singer Myles Stephenson after leaving the Big Brother house but they later broke up after claims he was disloyal.

Now 30, Gabby regularly documents her fitness journey on Instagram to her 1.1m followers.

Hayley Hughes

Hayley Hughes (ITV)

Season four, dumped on day 13

Model Hayley Hughes provided some of Love Island’s most hilarious moments ever when she went on the show in 2018 aged 21.

Hayley famously thought Brexit would mean the UK wouldn’t have any trees left, wondered if Essex was a continent and was confused about what the word “superficial” meant. Hayley coupled up with Eyal Booker and later Charlie Frederick during her time on the show before being dumped from the island.

But Hayley did find love in a roundabout way during her time on the island, as she met her boyfriend Tom Zanetti, who performed a DJ set while she was in the villa. Sadly the pair split after five months together.

The Liverpudlian was later interviewed by none other than Nigel Farage about Brexit, appearing on ITV and going to the pub with the politician. Otherwise she has kept quiet since leaving the show, posting fashionable snaps on her Instagram, which has over 700k followers.

Michael Griffiths

Season five, dumped on day 49

Michael Griffiths (ITV)

Firefighter Michael Griffiths was notorious on the show, causing one of the 2019 series’ biggest dramas. Michael caused heartbreak when he left Amber Gill for Joanna Chimondes during the “Casa Amor” episodes, while Amber chose to stay loyal to him.

When Joanna was dumped from the villa, Michael tried to recouple again with Amber who chose Irish rugby player Greg O’Shea and went on to win the show.

Since leaving the show, the 27-year-old had a brief romance with 2018 islander Ellie Brown, who he met while filming Ex On The Beach. Michael posts his work as a fitness trainer on Instagram and has 1.1m followers.

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