Love Island’s Harry Cooksley has revealed why he finds his girlfriend Shakira Khan ‘difficult’ as he opened up about his regrets.
The semi-professional footballer, 31, and the children’s entertainer, 23, struck up a romance on the latest season of the ITV show.
Despite a rocky journey in the villa, the pair have managed to make their relationship work on the outside after finishing as runners-up.
Appearing on the Spent podcast, in association with Nationwide, Harry has lifted the lid on life with Shakira – admitting he splashed out £1,200 on a customised suitcase for her.
He told the Daily Mail: ‘I have bought her a RIMOWA suitcase – I don’t know if you are aware of what they are.
‘I don’t want to say they’re overpriced, but they’re £1200.
Love Island’s Harry Cooksley has revealed why he finds his girlfriend Shakira Khan ‘difficult’ as he opened up about his regrets
Harry chatted all things finance with Matt Edmonson on the Spent podcast, in association with Nationwide
The semi-professional footballer, 31, and the children’s entertainer, 23, struck up a romance on the latest season of the ITV show
‘You can sit on it and ride it through the airport, essentially… I want to tell you what else I have done – my best friend’s wife is an artist.
‘I have given her the suitcase and come up with all different things about Shakira that she loves.
’She’s hand painted all these things on the suitcase… it’s difficult to [buy for her] because we get so much for free, anything we want – we kind of have it.’
Elsewhere in the interview, Harry admitted he has ‘regrets’ about every piece of designer clothing he’s ever bought.
He explained: ‘Being in football is extremely pretentious in terms of cars, clothes, watches, where you’re eating, where you live – everything. You get wrapped up in it. I got wrapped up in it.
‘I would say, as a whole, regret every piece of designer clothing I’ve ever bought in my life. I would never, ever do that again.
‘I came out of full-time football and when I started playing part time semi pro and just actually not seeing and hanging out and mixing with footballers every single day, and it’s literally like a competition.
‘I’ll be honest, a load of them look like a bag of shi*t.
Harry chatted to Matt about his most expensive purchases, including the suitcase he bought for Shakira which set him back more than £1,000
Despite a rocky journey in the villa, the pair have managed to make their relationship work on the outside after finishing as runners-up
’Some of this designer gear is awful. I didn’t even realise it at the time.’
‘Football is the most toxic environment in terms of spending and money management.’
During their series on Love Island, Shakira found herself up against Helena Ford, who claimed she had an ‘undeniable connection’ with Harry.
The footballer spent time with both girls and then decided to focus on his relationship with Helena, despite claiming he was all for Shakira.
Shakira then found a connection with Ty Isherwood in Casa Amor and chose to bring him back to the main villa.
However, the beauty realised she had a better connection with Conor Phillips and ended things with Ty.
Around this time, Harry decided to go ‘exclusive’ with Helena, but when Shakira admitted her feelings for him hadn’t completely disappeared, the footballer confessed he felt the same.
Fast forward to the present day, they are officially girlfriend and boyfriend, and still going strong.
During their series on Love Island, Shakira found herself up against Helena Ford (pictured), who claimed she had an ‘undeniable connection’ with Harry.
Now,former air stewardess Helena is hoping to find her happily ever as she heads back into the villa for All Stars.
Speaking after leaving the show, Helena said: ‘The main thing for me wasn’t losing the relationship, it was losing our friendship, as we had such a great connection. I wanted to still be around him and not avoid him.’
The new series, which features returning contestants looking for another shot at love, was due to begin filming last weekend.
But it has been forced to postpone the start of filming for the upcoming series again due to the South Africa wildfires.
On Saturday, just days ahead of the launch on Monday, ITV confirmed that the first episode had been cancelled after wildfires caused a road closure near the villa.
The Sun now reports that filming has been pushed back indefinitely after local reports have revealed emergency workers battled through the night again to bring things under control in the area of Wemmershoek.
A source told the publication: ‘Bosses have no choice but to wait for the area to be deemed completely safe.
‘The desire is to be back as soon as possible but risk and health and safety assessments are still ongoing.’
Love Island: All Stars has been forced to postpone the start of filming for the upcoming series again due to the South Africa wildfires
The Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment on the matter.
A statement from ITV on Saturday read: ‘Further to a production evacuation owing to ongoing wildfires in the area, our assessment of the location site has concluded that filming will need to be postponed.
‘Health and safety is our greatest priority and will always come first, and therefore the transmission of Love Island: All Stars will be delayed until a date to be confirmed.’
Multiple wildfires have been burning across the Western and Eastern Cape due to high temperatures, shifting winds and prolonged dry conditions.
Residents of Zwartenbosch, Oyster Bay Road, Kromme River and Riverside areas in the Eastern Cape were evacuated while fires also broke out in Mossel Bay in the Western Cape.
The Love Island villa is in the Ludus Magnus Estate, located about an hour from Cape Town in the Western Cape.
Earlier on Saturday it was revealed the villa had been evacuated as a precaution and shooting the launch episode had to be postponed.
Producers were said to be ‘scrambling’ to ensure the launch episode could still run smoothly, but it has now been confirmed Monday’s episode is cancelled.
An ITV spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail: ‘Owing to an ongoing wild fire in the area, we have evacuated the Love Island production site as a precautionary measure.’
