Wayne Lineker once dated Love Island star Sophie Gradon before she shot to fame on the ITV dating show.
The brother of sports pundit Gary Lineker, 58, is believed to have met the former Miss Great Britain while she was on holiday.
Celebs Go Dating star Wayne runs a nightclub empire with venues in mainland Spain and on the party island of Ibiza.
Sophie previously called their relationship a "summer romance", revealing they met while she was out in Marbella, where he runs a branch of his Lineker's bar.
She told the Daily Star : "He is a lovely guy. I'd come out of a bad relationship and went out to Marbella. It was a summer romance."
Years afterwards, Sophie shot to fame on Love Island in 2016, but her life was cut tragically short just two years later.
Sophie took her own life aged just 32.
She was found dead by Northumbria Police at her parents' home in June 20, 2018.
Her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong subsequently took his own life on July 10, 2018, just 20 days after Sophie's death. He was only 25.
It was the first tragedy to hit Love Island, and was followed by the death of another contestant Mike Thalassitis, who took his own life in 2019.
Mike was also knew Wayne, and the businessman paid tribute to his pal by sharing a picture of flowers piled outside the restaurant the telly star had planned to open in Essex.
Wayne wrote: "Heartbreaking he won't be here to see his creation #ripmike."
Love Island was later rocked by the death of the show's host, Caroline Flack, who took her own life last year.
