The full cast for the first ever All Stars series was finally confirmed on Monday, featuring names from Georgia Harrison to Chris Taylor and Georgia Steel.
However, fans were left fuming after the full cast was revealed ahead of its January 15 launch date and complained that the line-up was ‘boring’ and ‘disappointing’.
Yet things will soon get a shake up as more Islanders are set to enter the Villa as the series progresses, with one former star spotted making her way to the show.
Season six star Sophie Piper was spotted touching down in South Africa on Sunday, having previously dropped a big hint that she’s appearing on the show.
The 25-year-old model – who is the sister of This Morning star Rochelle Humes – kept a low profile as she gathered her luggage at Cape Town International Airport alongside a female companion.
Season six star Sophie Piper was spotted touching down in South Africa on Sunday ahead of the All Stars launch having previously dropped a big hint that she’s appearing on the show.
The 25-year-old model kept a low profile as she gathered her luggage at Cape Town International Airport alongside a female companion
She concealed herself in a baggy black hoodie and tracksuit bottoms but flashed a glimpse of her toned abs in a crop top.
An eyewitness told MailOnline: ‘I didn’t quite spot her at first because she was flying in premium economy and I expected ITV would’ve coughed up for first class!
‘But she kept to herself and was hiding beneath her hood the whole time, probably trying not to get spotted.
‘She seemed in good spirits though and was giggling away with her pal at the airport.
‘Sophie’s such a pretty girl and she seems really sweet. I reckon she’ll have no problem coupling up with someone in the Villa.’
The model and medical PA from Essex first dropped a hint that she’d be appearing on the show when she followed a Love Island makeup artist on Instagram last week.
She then proceeded to share a cryptic post that read: ‘Bottoms up to 2024. The best is yet to come’, quickly disabling comments.
Appearing as a bombshell will be a change for Sophie who was an original Islander in the show’s first ever winter series in 2020.
She struggled to make any strong romantic connections, however, and after coupling up with Connor Durman, Connagh Howard and Mike Boateng she was dumped from the villa on Day 22.
MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.
Sophie is the younger sibling of This Morning star Rochelle Humes and the pair have a striking resemblance (pictured together in 2019)
The model and medical PA from Essex first dropped a hint that she’d be appearing on the show when she followed a Love Island makeup artist on Instagram then proceeded to share a cryptic post that read: ‘Bottoms up to 2024. The best is yet to come’, quickly disabling comments
In 2022, Sophie admitted her dream of having a big family is being thwarted by her fear of dating and told MailOnline that lockdown seriously hampered her chances of finding a partner.
She confessed: ‘The thought of dating… it scares me. I tend to put it off so I’m single and working, plus I’ve put the thought of dating on the back-burner since the pandemic.
‘I would love children but obviously I can’t without a boyfriend… I would love a big family, it makes all the celebrations that bit better.’
Despite Sophie’s fear of dating, she was a contestant on winter Love Island in 2020 – and says she doesn’t regret taking part.
She added: ‘When anyone ever asks me if I’m glad I did Love Island I say 100 per cent – it is not something you do twice.
‘I was going to do it a few seasons before, and I kept saying no but the South Africa series came up and I said let’s do it! It was very different to the other series in Spain, but it was so much fun.
‘It was over two years ago for me now, but I am open to doing more reality TV.
‘Everyone asked me what I was doing next, and they expect you to be on every single show after that but I’m just seeing what the future holds.’
In 2018, Rochelle, who was raised by her mum, finally met her estranged father, as well as her three half-siblings, Lili, Sophie, and Jake.
She has previously explained how Love Island star Kem Cetinay was instrumental in her family’s reunion after he persuaded Rochelle at a Christmas party to reach out to Lili, who she hadn’t seen in 23 years, even passing on her phone number.
Rochelle said it was like ‘looking in a mirror’ when she finally reunited with Lili and Sophie, who had grown up being told they were the spitting image of The Saturdays singer.
Appearing as a bombshell will be a change for Sophie who was an original Islander in the show’s first ever winter series in 2020 (pictured with Connor Durman)
‘We always loved and supported her’: Sophie reconnected with Rochelle in 2018 after losing touch when they were younger and says the resemblance between herself, Rochelle, and sister Lili is uncanny (pictured L-R Rochelle, Sophie, and Lili)
Sophie explained: ‘We did have a relationship when we were younger, but we drifted apart for a while.
‘We always loved and supported her, and it was exciting seeing her in The Saturdays – she has always been a role model to me. I wish I was a good singer but unfortunately I wasn’t blessed with the voice.
‘We do all look so alike. Even my middle sister, she gets mistaken for Rochelle and me all the time when she’s out. We should have more fun with it than I actually am.
‘Sometimes my middle sister says she’s me when people ask – she’s funny. I have gone a bit lighter than my sisters but when we all had dark hair, we could definitely pretend t be each other. It’s so nice to have sisters and we are all really close.’
Yet Sophie doubts she’ll follow in sister Rochelle’s presenting footsteps, predicting viewers will struggle to warm to her in the same way because of her Essex accent.
She said: ‘I could not ever compete with Rochelle. My voice is draining. Everyone will be like ‘no get her off.’ My sister is so well spoken whereas I’m an Essex girl and I’m like ‘yeah, come on!’ Hopefully, some people won’t mind it.’
Love Island All Stars launches Monday, January 15 at 9pm on ITV1, ITV2, ITVX & STV.
LOVE ISLAND ALL STARS: MEET THE CAST
Liberty Poole
AGE: 24
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m a lot more confident in who I am and sure about exactly what I want from a relationship. I just want to have fun and meet a lovely boy.
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since appearing? It’s always going to be awkward isn’t it, it’s always going to be weird seeing someone that you’ve been with getting with someone else. I wish my exes nothing but the best. I’m going to be focused on my own journey.
Kaz Kamwi
AGE: 29
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? To be totally honest, I actually really want to find love.
I had a great time last series but I want to have an even better time.
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve previously dated from the show? The thing is, I’m a bad b*tch so I will handle it with as much grace as I can.
Georgia Harrison
AGE: 29
SERIES: 3
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? This is the last year of my 20s so I want to go in the Villa and have some fun and hopefully meet someone that I can fall in love with. I’m lucky in the sense that I’ve got everything in my life that I could possibly wish for, apart from love.
If you had to pick your top Islanders from Series 1 to 10 to couple up with who would they be and why? Chris Taylor, he’s hilarious and the main thing I’m attracted to is a man who can make me laugh. What a fun guy and like I said, I’m looking for someone to TikTok with so I reckon he’d be game for that sort of stuff!
Demi Jones
AGE: 25
SERIES: 6
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I lost a lot of confidence with my health issues over the last couple of years but I’ve been smashing the gym this year, finding my confidence again and I’ve got it back. So, let’s find a man!
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since? It will be interesting to see if old flames get reignited. Naturally with Love Island paths are very much crossed and believe me, I have some paths!
Hannah Elizabeth
AGE: 33
SERIES: 1
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m returning to the Love Island Villa because I did it eight years ago and what an opportunity I never thought I’d get again. I’m not very good at finding love but I had a ball the first time, so I’m going to have a ball again.
You got engaged on the show last time, do you think wedding bells could be on the cards again this time round? Absolutely not, not in the Villa no. Maybe when I get out, but I’d need to give it a bit of time.
Georgia Steel
AGE: 25
SERIES: 4
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? I’m 25, I have a house, a cat, a nice car – I have everything in life but a boyfriend, so why not give it as go.
You’ve been brave and honest in opening up about being conned by a former partner. How has this experience impacted the way in which you now approach dating?
I take that experience as a really positive reflection now. I look at it as something I had to go through to make me stronger and learn things in life for me to be able to learn what I want in my next partner.
Jake Cornish
AGE: 26
SERIES: 7
How will you feel if you come across an ex in the Villa or someone you’ve dated from the show since appearing? Well there is only one and that’s Liberty. We never ended with any bad blood between us and everything happens for a reason. We just become two different people in the end.
What will you do differently this time round? When it comes to people’s opinions, I don’t sit on the fence anymore. That is my way of life now, so I will take that into the Villa.
Toby Aromolaran
AGE: 24
SERIES: 7
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? If I’m Single and Love Island is an opportunity for me, how could you turn down the chance to find love again?!
You were in a long term relationship with Chloe Burrows, what do you think her reaction will be when she hears you are going into the Villa? I don’t know how she would take it. We will always have love for each other and I think she would wish me the best of luck, as I would certainly do the same.
Chris Taylor
AGE: 33
SERIES: 9
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? Last time I was only there for 15 days, so I want to do it and enjoy it all again. I am 33 now and getting on a bit – I am getting ear hair! It would be nice to have a girl to keep my ears trimmed for me!
How did the Barbie Movie come about? I was invited to an afterparty by Margot Robbie and then ended up at an after party with her. I started to panic and make conversation with her, just having really stupid chats. All I can assume is that my silly chat made an impression on Margot Robbie. 18 months later I got an email from Warner Brothers asking do you want to try out for this role as Ken – it was a tumble dryer of emotions.
Luis Morrison
AGE: 29
SERIES: 1
Why are you returning to the famous Love Island Villa? It was the best experience of my life. I found love in the Villa before and who knows if I can find love in there again?
What will you do differently this time round?
I’m a lot older and wiser, so I know what I am getting myself into. I don’t have a game plan at all – I am an open book so I will go with the flow and see what happens.
Anton Danyluk
AGE: 29
SERIES: 5
Why are you returning to the Love Island Villa? For me it was a no brainer. I got the call and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and probably the best summer I have ever had in my life. Getting the chance to do it twice is going to be unbelievable.
Why do you think the Love Island Villa is the perfect place to find love?
I think this time with Love Island: All Stars, things will be different, as we all understand what it’s like to go on Love Island and the only thing now missing is finding a partner.
Mitchell Taylor
AGE: 27
SERIES: 10
Why are you returning to the Love Island villa? I think I went in with my heart on my sleeve the first time and got hurt and this time I am just going in to enjoy myself and if a connection happens, a connection happens.
In the summer you were given the name ‘Messy Mitch’, and a name that you have taken on as your own, can we expect more of the same in the series? I’ll be honest, I don’t really plan on being ‘Messy Mitch’. It just depends on what day of the week it is. I wear my emotions on my sleeve and what you see is what you get. I am very honest and very opinionated and I think that’s what people like me for. If I don’t agree with something, I’m not going to hold it back.
