Thursday's episode of Love Island: All Stars delivered high drama and unexpected twists, leaving the villa reeling from a brutal double dumping and the arrival of six American bombshells. The emotional fallout from Wednesday's elimination continued to ripple through the islanders, putting one couple's future in serious doubt.
Emotional Aftermath of the Double Dumping
Wednesday's instalment of the ITV2 dating show saw viewers voting for their favourite male and female islanders, with Sean Stone and Samie Elishi emerging as the winners. However, the celebration was short-lived as those with the fewest votes faced elimination. Jess Harding and Shaq Muhammad received the devastating news that their All Stars journey had come to an end, leaving their fellow islanders in tears.
The bottom three couples included Leanne Amaning and Lucinda Strafford for the girls, and Curtis Pritchard and Konnor Ewudzi for the boys. While they survived this round, the experience has clearly taken its toll on relationships within the villa.
Scott's Doubts About Leanne
In the aftermath of the dumping, Scott van-der-Sluis opened up about his feelings towards partner Leanne Amaning in a revealing conversation with Belle Hassan. When Belle suggested he could have left with Leanne, Scott responded with surprising pragmatism, questioning the timing of such a decision.
'No, not on day 14… what’s the earliest point that you do leave?' Scott replied, indicating he wasn't ready to make such a commitment so early in the process.
Belle offered her perspective, telling him: 'When you feel like what you have is real… if I felt like I was settled and they left, I’d think, "Why am I in here?"'
But Scott countered with his own concerns: 'Just imagine you got outside and it didn't work after a couple of weeks and you look back and think, "Why did I leave?"'
Relationship Strains Become Apparent
The conversation took a more serious turn when Scott discussed Leanne's behaviour with the male islanders. He revealed feeling disappointed by her reaction to surviving the dumping, suggesting a lack of emotional connection.
'Last night was heavy for both of us,' Scott told the boys. 'If it was the other way around I’d have got into bed and been like, "I’m so glad to still be here with you"... Leanne was so passive with it. She sounded like she didn’t care either way…'
Curtis Pritchard tried to understand Scott's perspective, asking: 'So, you just felt you wanted a bit more reassurance that she is super happy to be here?'
Scott's response suggested deeper issues: 'I don’t even think it's being reassured, I just know that if it was the other way around I’d have been like that, the relief would have been in my voice.'
Six American Bombshells Arrive
Just as relationships were being tested, the villa received its biggest twist yet - the arrival of six American bombshells in their own separate villa, appropriately named Villa USA. This marks the first time US contestants have joined the UK All Stars edition.
The Daily Mail had exclusively revealed earlier this week that Zack Woodworth, 26, from the seventh series of Love Island US, would be appearing. However, producers had kept the full extent of the American invasion under wraps.
Meet the American All Stars
The six US bombshells represent multiple seasons of Love Island USA:
- Zack Woodworth from season seven
- Carrington Rodriguez from season two
- Yamen Sanders from season one
- Sher Suarez from season two
- Kyra Lizama from season three
- Imani Wheeler from season five
Zack captured the historic moment, saying: 'I want to make a cheers to the US being part of All Stars for the first time ever!'
Maya Jama's Major Announcement
Presenter Maya Jama, 31, made a dramatic entrance at Villa USA, telling the American arrivals: 'Well, this is US All Stars in the building for the very first time. This is kinda major, very big deal. I hope you’re all ready to make an impact.'
The American islanders expressed their enthusiasm for finding love across the pond. Sher Suarez declared: 'I am convinced that my husband is from the UK,' while Carrington Rodriguez added: 'It's every guy's dream to find a girl abroad.'
The Twist Unfolds
Maya then returned to the main villa with earth-shattering news for the UK islanders. She posed challenging questions about their relationships: 'You’ve all been here seeking a second chance at love. I think it’s fair to say loyalties have been tested. But ask yourself this, are the connections you’ve found - or started to build - strong enough? Are you happy? Or could you be happier?'
She then revealed: 'Who’s ready for an All Stars twist?' before selecting six islanders to visit Villa USA, telling them: 'You guys standing here have been invited to a USA getaway. Please head directly to Villa USA to meet some American All Stars.'
Farewell to Jess and Shaq
Love Island's official Instagram page paid tribute to the departed islanders. About Jess Harding, they wrote: 'Jess brought an unmatched vibe to the Villa and wasn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve, but now her All Stars journey has come to an end.'
Regarding Shaq Muhammad's departure, they commented: 'Kissing bans, love triangles and a loverboy through and through, Shaq had a rollercoaster of a journey but now his time on All Stars is over.'
With relationships already strained and six new American bombshells waiting in the wings, Thursday's episode promises to deliver even more drama and difficult decisions for the remaining islanders.
Love Island: All Stars continues Thursday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.
