Love Island's Lola Deal has revealed how she plans to use her detective skills in the villa to 'sift through bull****'. The stunning Criminology graduate, 28, from Kent, is gearing up to enter the Mallorca villa on Monday, June 1, alongside 11 other singletons.
Putting Detective Skills to Use
Ahead of making her debut, Lola told the Daily Mail how she intends to put her detective skills to use, what her type is, and how she plans to deal with drama on the ITV show. She said: 'I was a detective for about a year and a half, which was such an interesting job, and I learned a lot from it. I think it makes me quite good at reading people and being able to sort of sift through some bull****, which is going to come in handy, I'm sure. Catch the red flags!'
Work-Life Balance Challenges
Lola added that she has found it difficult to commit to a relationship due to her demanding career and long working hours. 'It's definitely hard trying to have a work-life balance, and I think that can have a big impact on relationships, especially during shift work and things like that. I think it affects me meeting people more,' she said. 'That's one of the reasons why I wanted to do Love Island, just having to manage jobs and relationships. A lot of people do like the nine-to-five, more like usual work patterns, and have that work-life balance. I think having it where you can be with someone and have those deeper connections, and not have to wait another 10 days or so to meet up again for a few hours. I think I'm really looking forward to that element of it.'
Type of Man She's Looking For
On what type of man she is looking for, Lola explained: 'I'm into a bit of a posh boy, so I think it would be like a Chuggs or a Casey, but basically someone who has been on Made In Chelsea.'
Dealing with Drama
Last year's Love Island was branded toxic by fans due to the constant, explosive rows between the girls. In one camp were best friends Toni Laites, 25, Shakira Khan, 23, and Yasmin Pettet, 25, who bonded over their vocal approach to the boys' bad behaviour. The other featured Meg, Helena Ford, 29, and Megan Forte Clarke, 24, who faced off with their rivals on multiple occasions after they were accused of 'bullying'. The girls hurled insults around the fire pit and made catty comments in the make-up room, which caused a string of heated arguments over the weeks.
Speaking on how she will deal with any drama, Lola said: 'I'm not really a drama girl, to be fair. I've never really had too much drama, especially in my adult life. I just get on with everyone, and am a bit of a peacekeeper. I'll sort it out. I'll be the little oracle, like, come on, girls. Don't, no, no, we don't ask, you'll be all right, we'll figure it out. I say that now. Watch me kick off!'
Concerns and Positives of Reality TV
For some, reality TV can propel them into the spotlight, and many go on to have a successful career - including previous Love Islanders like Molly-Mae Hague and Maura Higgins. On the other hand, it can have quite the opposite effect. 'I think every experience comes with positive and negatives,' Lola said. 'You've always got the concerns that people… I think there's always going to be public opinion on you if you sign up for things like this, and it's all about sort of managing that and going into it, being aware that that could happen. But I also think a lot of it is what you make of it yourself, so I think that if you go in with quite a positive mindset, like I'm going to have a good time and do this, and expand my horizons and hopefully meet someone, and go into it with good intentions. I think hopefully what comes out of that is as much as you put into it. Obviously, there are concerns surrounding it, but I think the positives of it definitely outweigh any concerns I might have.'
Future Plans
Some former islanders have had enough success to give up their 'normal jobs' and become full-time influencers. 'I don't really have a plan. I just sort of always do something, and then from that, figure out what to do next. I really enjoyed the detective side of work, and I'd never say never to going back into similar roles, maybe in the criminal justice sector, but I'm always like a play it by ear, see what I fancy doing, and it's always worked out for me quite well, to be honest.'
Background and Education
The Daily Mail revealed that Lola will be heading into the Mallorca villa when the hit dating show returns next week. And while the brunette beauty is certain to turn heads among this year's contestants, it is not just her looks that have caught producers' attention. Lola holds a first-class honours degree in Criminology and Forensic Science from the University of Portsmouth and also has experience in business management. Her LinkedIn bio reads: 'With a recent Criminology and Forensic Science degree from the University of Portsmouth, I am currently looking for a role within the criminal justice sector.' It seems Lola also has a playful side as one Instagram snap shows her dressed up in a sexy devil costume. Elsewhere she has shared a slew of stunning bikini pictures.
Unlike many recent contestants who enter the villa with hundreds of thousands of social media followers already behind them, Lola appears to be something of a fresh face. In recent years many contestants who sign up for the ITV show already have a following on social media. However, Lola only has 900 followers on Instagram. One source tells me: 'Love Island producers are really excited about Lola, not only is she beautiful but she's intelligent and fun. She's the full package and is looking to find her dream man.'
Show Return
The popular dating show, which has been a summer staple since it launched in 2015, will return on June 1, and will be presented by host Maya Jama. Announcing the show's return date earlier this month, ITV said: 'With unexpected arrivals, shifting loyalties, and sparks flying, the new series promises even more unforgettable moments, unmissable messiness, and plenty of romance.' ITV2 recently released a fun-filled World Cup-themed promo as a brand new batch of Islanders head to Mallorca. This year Love Island coincides with the World Cup, with the football competition taking place June 11 to July 19. In the teaser trailer, Maya looked incredible as she kickstarted her Love Island looks with a pale pink dress. Maya said: 'We've got a squad of worldies and a bench full of bombshells giving more fire pit drama... Love Island it's all kicking off.'
Love Island 2026 returns to our screens on June 1 on ITV.
