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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
Entertainment
Jessica Sansome

ITV I'm A Celeb star responds as new Love Island contestant is dubbed his 'ringer' - while others say he looks like Zac Efron

Jordan North has hilariously responded to comments that a new Love Island star is a 'ringer' for him. The BBC Radio 1 host was alerted to comments made during the opening episode of the ITV2 dating show's new winter series, the first in three years.

The ninth edition of the popular programme returned to screens on Monday night (January 16) with a fresh batch of 10 singletons heading to South Africa in the hope of finding love in the new luxury £1.2m villa. As well as a new location to the summer series, there was also a new host.

Maya Jama has taken over the presenting role on Love Island from Laura Whitmore after she announced she'd be stepping away from the show last August following the conclusion of the eighth series, which was won by Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti.

READ MORE: ITV Love Island viewers share concern as they spot girls 'pretending'

After Maya completed her first slow-mo entrance, it was over to the boys to make their arrivals before the first coupling-up ceremony of the series took place. Kicking off the coupling was biomedical student Tanya Manhenga, who chose airport security officer Shaq Muhammad.

Lana Jenkins, a make-up artist from Luton, chose to couple up with the show’s first visually impaired contestant, Ron Hall. After coupling and recoupling a number of times, Kai Fagan, a PE and science teacher from Manchester, ended up with Tanyel Revan, a hairstylist from north London,

Anna-May Robey, a payroll administrator from Swansea, was ultimately coupled with TV salesman Haris Namani, from Doncaster, who said “there’s no girl that’s ever turned me down” but admitted he has never been in love. The two remaining islanders – actress Olivia Hawkins, who initially chose to couple up with Kai, and farmer and TikTok star Will Young – formed the final couple.

But just before the debut episode came to an end, the Love Island contestants were left in shock after Maya made a surprise appearance and announced the arrival of the first bombshell of the new series. The 28-year-old told the islanders: "As you know, this is Love Island and we always say expect the unexpected, and you never know when someone will walk through that door.

Tom made his first appearance in the villa (REX/Shutterstock)

"The public have been voting on who should be the first bombshell to enter the Love Island villa. Islanders, get ready, this is Tom."

After a public vote, 23-year-old semi-pro footballer Tom Clare from Barnsley was chosen to enter the villa as the first bombshell of the series.

Before leaving the villa, Maya warned the male islanders: "In 24 hours Tom will get the chance to couple up with the girl of his choice, leaving one of you single and your place on the island at risk. I suggest you boys get grafting and hold on tight to your girls."

Before his arrival, a confident Tom said: “I’m definitely going to be scoring some goals in the villa. If there’s a girl I want and she is coupled up, nine times out of 10 I will get her."

But as viewers got their first glimpse of the 11th new Love Island star, they couldn't help but notice his resemblance to Jordan.

@kn0b_suck3r tweeted: "Tom lowkey looks like Jordan North if he had face fillers #LoveIsland." @Chantelleelow cpmmented: "Tom? No that bombshell is Jordan North #LoveIsland." @FrenziedChloe echoed: "Tom looks like Jordan North.. #loveisland." @its_DaisyJ said: "Tom looks like if post surgery Zac Efron had a kid with Jordan North #loveisland."

But @curtisjones_96 posted: "Tom is an Aldi version of Zac Efron #loveisland." @unrulyyyyt shared: "He looks like Zac Efron circa highschool musical era #LoveIsland." @17GOlNGUNDER added: "why is tom giving zac efron #LoveIsland."

But in response to claims Tom looks like him, Jordan took to Twitter with a a screenshot of some of the comments and wrote: "Imagine waiting your whole life to go on #LoveIsland training and eating well the weeks before to be told you look like some beer bellied gosbshite off the radio. Poor Tom!!

Love Island airs at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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