Love Island final catchup: Dani and Jack announced as 2018 winners - as it happened

Love Island is complete. After two months that have seen fun, fornicating and friendship, along with a solution to the Münchhausen trilemma and cures for at least three diseases, the finale of ITV2's ostensible search for love has finally taken place, with Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham emerging triumphant and splitting the £50,000 prize money.

Dani and Jack were the bookies favourite and have been since they first coupled up very early on in the show. Kaz and Josh were tipped to be second, but were beaten by relatively new couple Laura and Paul. Wes and Megan finished fourth in the final episode, a couple who won each other's heart but never quite the public's.

Relive the Love Island finale with our live blog of the one and a half hour episode below (please allow a moment for the stream to load):

Live Updates

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10:13

Hello and welcome to The Independent's final Love Island live-blog of the series! We'll be watching and posting along as Jack and Dani, Wes and Megan, Kaz and Josh, Laura and Paul all compete for the £50,000 prize money.

10:16

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Here's a look at where you can watch the Love Island final surrounded by fellow Loveites...

 

Where to watch the Love Island final at screenings and parties around the UK and Ireland

10:51

Our essential guide on how to impress your friends with a killer Love Island party...

 

How to throw a Love Island-themed party

11:50

Here's how fans reacted to Danny Dyer's surprise appearance last night...  

 

Love Island fans react to Danny Dyer Skyping into the show

The Independent'Look at him, look at him. Look at his little face. Do you know what Jack, listen. Proper geezer, gotta say'

12:47

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And the official most popular Love Island Tweet of the series is (drum roll please)...

12:50

A couple of facts from Twitter: Dani and Jack have been the most-Tweeted about couple of the series, followed by Wes and original Laura (who were, of course, a couple in the early days of the series).

 

Wes also comes in third, himself and Megan having caused a storm, followed by Georgia and Josh. Fifth most-Tweeted about couple are Megan and Eyal (remember him?).

13:15

Some odds from Paddy Power:

 

1/14   -   Jack and Dani 
13/2   -   Paul and Laura
14/1   -   Josh and Kaz
16/1   -   Wes and Megan

13:42

Missed last night's episode? Catch up on everything that happened here...

What happened in the latest episode of Love Island

14:09

A sneak peak at the finalists celebrating the news that they have made it into the final!

14:35

Our political sketch artist Tom Peck has sketched last night's dramatic episode...

For Love Island's self-superior middle class viewers, Dr Alex George was the child that fell in the gorilla enclosure

14:55

So, what exactly is going to happen on tonight's Love Island? Well, the contestants are going to have to make speeches to their other halves, and Jack and Dani's looks set to be an emotional mess. 
 

"You are everything that I’ve ever wanted in a girl," Jack will say. "Getting to know you and fall in love with you has been one of the most wonderful things to ever happen in my life.

"Firstly, you are an absolute sort. You are so caring and selfless, you have such a beautiful smile… when I see you happy, it makes me feel a way that I’ve never felt about someone before."

15:22

A story from the Lifestyle team...

 

A Love Island contestant complained about women taking their makeup off and got ripped to shreds

15:35

It's finally here everybody! Your first official look at this years Love Island final...

 

15:41

So what has our first look revealed? 

 

- This year's final will feature a Summer Ball

- Professional dancers arrive to teach the islanders how to salsa - and Wes has some moves

- Josh, however, does not

- Dani and Jack trying to salsa is going to be as ridiculous as one could hope

- The ladies head to the shops

- The boys have to declare their love in tuxes (it's going to be a sweaty night)

- And we will find out who is our 2018 champion!

15:55

Your first look at Josh and Jack getting ready for the grand finale. 

ITV2

16:10

Scarlett Moffatt has been body-shamed by online trolls after her appearance on Love Island spin-off show AfterSun. 

This is what she has to say about it

'This needs to stop': Scarlett Moffatt hits back at body shamers

16:21

With just a few hours to go, odds are still on Jack and Dani to win this year's series.

16:41

Twitter have released some statistics about what you've been talking about in relation to Love Island. Here's the verdict: "Ahed of Love Island final today (boo!), Twitter has revealed that the whole series had 11.5 million Tweets. We have also revealed that Dani and Jack closely followed by Wes and Laura were the most discussed couples of the entire series."

17:10

They've cracked it!

 

17:24

The power of Love Island folks...

ITV is launching a new streaming service to take on Netflix

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Previously on Love Island we saw Alex and Alexandra booted off the show. Support for the lobster-coloured doctor dwindled over the previous few days after breaking things off with Alexandra, the public finally voting the pair off on 29 July.

Meanwhile, the other contestants met their respective partner's parents, the biggest talking point being when Jack met Danny Dyer (albeit through Skype), the Eastenders actor calling the contestant a "top geezer". Music to Jack's ears.

Here's how you can apply for the 2019 series.

The Love Island live final was broadcast on ITV2 at 9pm and can be streamed on the ITV Hub.