A semi-professional footballer deaf in one ear, a musical theatre performer and a girl turned off by boys with lunch boxes are among the cast of the new Love Island series. They will be joined by an estate agent, a model who has appeared in a Burna Boy music video and a boy who does not like it when a girl counts out coins to pay for a drink.
The ITV2 reality show will return for a new series next week – with fans given the chance to vote for which contestants will be paired up before the first episode. Viewers will be given the power to choose who is coupled up when the show kicks off. In past series, contestants have made their own coupling decisions.
Fans were given the power to decide for the first time last year. Looking for love will be Tyrique Hyde, 24, from Essex, a semi-professional footballer and childhood friend of Toby Aromolaran, who appeared on the show on 2021.
Asked what he wants his fellow contestants to know about him, he said: “That I’m deaf in my right ear. I’ve got a tattoo next to my left one that symbolises strength and power in my good one.”
He follows in the footsteps of model and dancer Tasha Ghouri, who became the first deaf contestant to appear on the show in 2022 and wears a cochlear implant to allow her to hear.
Hyde will be joined by Molly Marsh, 21, from Doncaster, a musical theatre performer and social media creator who has already been to Love Island villas in South Africa and Majorca on press trips thanks to her online following.
Also hoping to find romance is Jess Harding, 22, an aesthetics practitioner from London. Asked what turns her off, she said: “When a guy stunts for money, that’s an ick. Showing off all their designer clothes because most of the time they’re probably fake anyway. Another one is when a boy runs for the train and the train goes without him. Lunch boxes also – just go to Tesco and get a meal deal.”
Estate agent Catherine Agbaje, 22, from Dublin, is also joining the line-up, as are model Ella Thomas, 23, from Glasgow, and gas engineer Mitchel Taylor, 26, from Sheffield.
Discussing his turn-offs, Taylor said: “Food in your teeth and counting coins in your hand. When a girl stands at the bar counting out the coins to pay for a drink, it’s not for me.”
Finishing the line-up are Mehdi Edno, 26, from Bordeaux in France, beautician Ruchee Gurung, 24, from Sutton, business development executive George Fensom, 24, from Bedford, and business owner Andre Furtado, 21, from Dudley.
This will be the first summer series hosted by Maya Jama, who made her Love Island debut during the winter series in South Africa earlier this year after replacing Laura Whitmore.
Voting for the first coupling up opens at 8am on Thursday on the Love Island app. It closes at 9pm on Friday. Love Island returns to ITV2 and ITVX on Monday, June 5.
