Curtis Pritchard And Lucinda Strafford Shake Up Love Island

Love Island: All Stars, the third season of ITV’s popular spin-off, delivered a barrage of drama and surprises on January 23, 2026, as two of the franchise’s most recognizable faces strutted back into the villa. Curtis Pritchard and Lucinda Strafford, both veterans of the Love Island universe, returned as bombshells, sparking excitement, speculation, and a fair share of controversy among contestants and viewers alike.

The episode, which aired on ITV2 and streamed on ITVX, began with the aftermath of a tense "Never Have I Ever" game that had left Islanders Whitney, Shaq, and Jess at odds. But as tempers simmered, the villa received a cryptic text: "Islanders, luxury has landed. Check the front of the Villa for a special eBay delivery, guaranteed to bring the main character energy to your night." As Islanders Jess and Ciaran headed outside to investigate, they were greeted by the sight of Curtis and Lucinda, ready to shake things up yet again.

This marked Curtis Pritchard’s fourth appearance on a Love Island show and Lucinda Strafford’s third. Curtis, 29, made his debut in 2019 on series five, where he finished fourth alongside Maura Higgins, and has since participated in the 2023 Love Island Games and won All Stars in 2025 with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. Lucinda, 26, is no stranger to the villa either. She first appeared in UK season 7, then ventured to Australia for season five in 2023, and clinched victory in the second season of Love Island Games in 2025. Their repeated returns have prompted a mix of admiration and fatigue among fans, with some on social media expressing surprise and even frustration at the familiar faces. As reported by Digital Spy, one viewer wrote, "We are tired of Curtis," while another added, "Why do they keep bringing Islanders back who’s already been on All Stars."

But the evening’s biggest twist wasn’t just the bombshell arrivals. Earlier in the episode, the villa faced a dramatic double dumping. Scott and Millie Court, named favorite boy and girl by the public, were tasked with choosing which Islanders to send home from the bottom three girls and boys. Scott sent AJ packing, but it was Millie’s decision that truly stunned both viewers and fellow contestants: she chose to dump her own partner, Charlie, just days after coupling up. Host Maya Jama called it "wild," noting that such a move had never happened before in the show’s history. As Everything Gossip reported, fans were left "screaming at their TV" by Millie’s unprecedented decision.

With the dust barely settled from the dumping, all eyes turned to the new arrivals. Curtis, ever the showman, wasted no time making his intentions clear. In an interview prior to entering the villa, he explained, "I normally throw all my eggs into one basket… I’m probably going to end up doing that again. I like to focus on one person. I’ve never been a bombshell before, so I don’t quite know what to expect coming in as one. I’ll try and talk to everyone the first couple of days." He didn’t shy away from naming names, either, telling the Daily Mail, "Millie is a big definite yes for me. She’s very, very attractive. She seems like she has a real grounded, confident and down-to-earth personality. I don’t feel like she wants drama for no reason, which is a yes for me." Curtis also expressed interest in Samie Elishi and mentioned Helena as another possible match, but emphasized that he preferred to focus on one woman rather than get caught up in love triangles.

Lucinda, for her part, reflected on her journey through the Love Island franchise and how her approach had changed over time. "I was quite young when I entered the Love Island Villa in Series 7, I was overthinking things loads," she admitted. "Now that I’m older, I’m definitely more confident in my own skin with much more life experience, so I think my approach will naturally be different from before. I am a girls’ girl but I don’t want to be afraid to say what I think and see what happens. I don’t want to waste time, I’m 26. I want to be with someone I can see a future with." Lucinda revealed she was single and determined to find love, telling the Daily Mail, "I guess I’ve been on a bit of a ‘Love Island' journey over the past few years but I’ve not found the ultimate one. I’m single, so having been given the opportunity to try and find a guy on Love Island: All Stars, why would I say no?!" She named Ciaran Davies as someone she found attractive and dismissed Scott van-der-Sluis as "a busybody."

Yet, it was Lucinda’s relationship with fellow Islander Millie Court that had fans buzzing. The two were close friends during their original season, but rumors of a rift have swirled ever since. Lucinda’s recent appearance on Ami Charlize’s Private Story podcast in May 2024 only fueled speculation, as she mentioned friendships with other Islanders but conspicuously left out Millie and Chloe Burrows. On her return to the villa, Lucinda addressed the topic head-on, telling the boys, "I went in with Millie in Love Island season 7 and we used to be best friends." When pressed about what happened, she replied, "Well, nothing actually happened that deep at all. Obviously I will speak to her when I see her. I actually didn’t even see her walk in, to be fair. But it will be nice to see her, obviously I haven’t seen her in ages." Fans quickly took to social media, with one writing, "One good thing about Lucinda being in the villa is we can finally get the tea for what went down with her and Millie’s friendship, I’m nosey and I need to know."

Meanwhile, Curtis addressed questions about his repeated appearances, stating, "I’m single, I enjoy dating and doing it in the Love Island Villa, and I’m not getting any younger!" He also shared that he remains friends with ex Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu after their split in May 2025 and expects her support, saying, "We didn’t end badly at all, we’re friends. I invited her to my next fight, we message every now and again."

With Curtis and Lucinda’s return, the villa is once again a powder keg of potential romance and rivalry. The show continues to air Sundays at 9 PM on ITV2 and ITVX, promising more twists, turns, and perhaps a resolution to the mystery of Lucinda and Millie’s friendship. For now, fans are left to speculate—and tune in—to see how these familiar faces will shape the latest chapter of Love Island: All Stars.

As the dust settles on this eventful episode, one thing is certain: Love Island’s capacity for reinvention and drama shows no sign of slowing down, and neither do the contestants who just can’t stay away.