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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
Entertainment
Anita McSorley & Zoe Delaney

Love Island finalists ecstatic as they're reunited with family at airport after flying home

There were emotional scenes at Stansted Airport today as the Love Island finalists flew home.

The contestants were reunited with their family and friends for the first time outside the Spanish villa following months away.

Winner Ekin-Su Culculoglu 's proud mum was there to greet her daughter at the airport with a huge bunch of flowers, as was Gemma Owen's mum, Louise, who was pictured eagerly waited for her teenage daughter to step off the plane.

READ MORE: When is the Love Island 2022 reunion? How to watch in Ireland as Virgin Media confirm date and time

Tasha Ghouri literally jumped for joy as she embraced her dad outside the airport, while Gemma hugged her family dressed in an all black ensemble.

Monday night's live final saw Ekin-Su and her beau Davide Sanclimenti storm to victory thanks to receiving a whopping 63.69% of the public vote. The new reality TV stars have been adjusting to life on the outside world and were ecstatic to be reunited with their loved ones.

(PA)

The winning couple, alongside runners-up Gemma and Luca Bish, Indiyah Polack and Dubliner Dami Hope, and Tasha and Andrew Le Page, touched down at the London airport after a record breaking series in the infamous Spanish villa.

The newly crowned reality TV stars also happily posed for snaps together this morning at Palma airport, as Jet2 - official sponsors of Love Island - checked them in for their flight.

Gemma Owen was supported by her mum Louise after returning from Love Island (Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Winners Ekin-Su and Davide were seen being accompanied through the Spanish airport this morning hand in hand as they braced themselves for the 'real world' on the otherside.

"Escorting mum + dad through the airport," Jet2 captioned the update of the fan favourites looking loved-up together this morning.

The winning couple took the opportunity to pose in the cockpit as the plane touched down in London earlier today, with Davide excitedly sharing some sneaky clips of the pair at the front to the plane with his Instagram fans.

Ekin-Su's proud mother was waiting for her daughter to arrive at the airport with a bunch of flowers, with Gemma's mum Louise Owen also there to greet her oldest child as she returned home after a few months in Spain.

(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

The winning couple are planning to travel to Italy soon, to introduce the actress to the businessman's family, but it seems London is their first port of call following their victory.

"We're coming back to the UK," Ekin-Su told her Instagram fans this morning, as she captioned a clip of her Italian boyfriend planting a kiss on her head at the airport ahead of their flight home.

(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

"England baby," the Turkish actress can be heard saying in the video update, with Davide adding: "We are coming. We are coming back."

Despite speculation they would split before even getting on the plane, runners-up Gemma and Luca put on a united front as they travelled back to London very much still together.

(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Michael Owen 's daughter even shared a snap of herself with the fishmonger from Brighton cuddling up together at the airport to her Instagram Stories - amid fan theories she is distancing herself from him on social media.

"Home time [white heart emoji]," Gemma captioned a snap of Luca with his arm around her to her 1.3million followers this morning [August 3].

The post comes after Love Island fans noticed a change to how Gemma's Instagram account was run over the last few days in the villa.

(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Eagle-eyed fans noted after the Meet The Parents challenge, Gemma's account switched to posting solo snaps of the star - with the last image of her and Luca together eight posts down on her main Instagram grid.

But the couple - who were not exclusive at the time of the final - seemed blissfully happy as they arrived back in London earlier today.

(Ian Vogler / Daily Mirror)

Following the show wrapping things up on Monday night, the four couples all got their phones back and returned to the real world after a summer of limited connect with people outside the villa.

Throughout the show the islanders are given special phones which have no access to the internet and their real mobiles are taken away.

Dami wasted no time in catching up with some of the axed Islanders on Tuesday night - sharing a screenshot of himself FaceTiming Jacques O'Neill to his Instagram Stories.

"My brother," Dami captioned the screenshot of the rugby star, who sensationally quit the villa last month.

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