The curtain has fallen on the third series of Love Island: All Stars, and what a ride it’s been. With the finale airing on Monday, February 23, 2026, at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX, fans across the UK and beyond tuned in to see which couple would walk away with the coveted £50,000 prize. Hosted by Maya Jama, the grand finale took place in the now-iconic South African villa, bringing together a cast of returning favorites, dramatic twists, and a touch of controversy that has defined the All Stars spin-off.
This year’s lineup was packed with familiar faces, including two former Love Island winners—Jess Harding and Millie Court—and, for the first time ever, stars from the US version of the show. The Villa USA twist injected a fresh dynamic, with American contestants entering the South African villa and shaking things up, albeit briefly. According to Daily Star, most of the American participants were voted off before the finale, with only Millie’s partner Zac and Whitney’s partner Yamen still standing as the final approached.
As the series reached its climactic conclusion, six couples remained in the race: Lucinda and Sean, Samie and Ciaran, Leanne and Scott, Harrison and Belle, Millie and Zac, and Whitney and Yamen. The path to the finale was anything but smooth. Just days before the grand event, a dramatic twist saw ex-Islanders Shaq, Curtis, Kyra, Jack, and Imani return to the villa. Their mission? To decide which remaining couple was the least compatible. In a tense showdown, Jessy and Tommy were dumped from the show, missing out on a chance at the crown.
Betting markets buzzed with predictions in the days leading up to the finale. According to odds published by Oddschecker and William Hill, Lucinda and Sean emerged as betting favorites, with odds as short as 2/1. Millie and Zac were close behind, while Samie and Ciaran, Leanne and Scott, and others trailed with longer odds. Bookmakers like Betfair, William Hill, and bet365 rolled out special offers for fans eager to wager on the outcome, with lucrative sign-up bonuses and free bets up for grabs.
Yet, not everyone was thrilled with the prospect of Lucinda and Sean taking home the prize. Social media platforms lit up with passionate opinions, with many viewers rooting for underdogs or expressing hope that other couples would triumph. One fan wrote, “Would love Belle to win just to see the look on Sean and Lucinda’s faces,” while another chimed in, “Sammie and Ciaran or Millie and Zac to win, please not Lucinda and Sean.” It was clear that, while the odds favored one couple, public sentiment was far from unanimous.
Behind the scenes, the villa was its usual hive of activity—and the occasional chaos. Former contestant Luca Bish, reflecting on his 2025 experience, shared a lighter moment with Daily Star: “The biggest issue we had was a cricket that somehow got into the villa. It was so loud we thought we weren’t going to sleep at all. They had people coming in with ladders trying to find it, couldn’t get it, so we all ended up with earplugs. That was the noisiest part.” Moments like these serve as a reminder that, for all the glamour and drama, life in the villa can be surprisingly down-to-earth (and occasionally sleepless).
Luca also weighed in on the impact of the Villa USA twist, saying, “It’s cool to see Americans come in and mix it up, but I think a bigger structural twist like Casa Amor would've had more impact.” He was candid about the relationships forming on the show, particularly the intense connection between Lucinda and Sean: “They’re probably the most intense couple I’ve ever seen so quickly. It’s very puppy love energy. Sean is fully invested straight away. Whether its genuine long term is something only time will tell. Lucinda’s had a lot of heat, and I don’t think that helps anyone. You’ll only really know when they’re out on the outside.”
Relationship drama was, as always, at the heart of the series. One of the more intriguing storylines involved Lauren and Harrison, whose romance began during the 2025 summer season. After meeting at Casa Amor, they quickly became a couple, only for Lauren to be dumped following a recoupling. Harrison left the villa with her, and the pair announced their split in November 2025, with Lauren sharing on Instagram, “Harrison & I have decided to no longer continue our relationship but will remain friends as everything was amicable and mutual. We share such amazing memories together, ones that not many can relate to. Please respect our privacy whilst we navigate going our separate ways.”
Yet, the situation was more complicated than it seemed. On the NotMyBagg podcast, Lauren revealed that their breakup was intended as a pause to work on themselves, with hopes of reconciling in the future. She recounted, “It’s the fact that he’s literally just spoke to me right up until the moment and then just disappeared. You can’t disappear without a trace and go on one of the biggest shows on ITV. I just can’t comprehend the thought process from his perspective.” This revelation added fuel to the fire of speculation, especially after former contestant AJ Bunker dropped cryptic hints about “break-ups or not break-ups” during a recent episode.
The future of Love Island: All Stars itself is now a topic of debate. Casey O’Gorman, who won the second series in 2025 alongside Gabby Allen (though the relationship ended shortly after), thinks this could be the end of the road for the All Stars spin-off. Speaking on behalf of Free Bets, Casey said, “I personally think this will be the last series. I think they've now switched it up slightly by bringing Americans into it but the thing is I think some of the All Stars from let's say the first five series of the show said no to the first All Stars because they felt like they were too old for it. So they're not going to come back now for series four of the show when they're three, four years older than when they first said no for being too old. So I can't see it carrying on for another series, but who knows?”
Casey has firmly ruled out a return to the villa himself, stating, “My Love Island days are done. I've hung my boots up because I won the last season but that's not to say that I wouldn't do other TV shows, whether that maybe dating or more non-dating show.” He also reflected on the unique nature of Love Island Games, noting, “It was so challenge-based. We’d would spend seven, eight hours doing the challenges so there was actually no time talking to girls or building relationships with anyone because you were just doing challenges the whole day and it was just filming these challenges which took forever. It was tough. It was different and not as enjoyable experience.”
As the dust settles on another dramatic series, viewers are left with plenty to talk about—favourite couples, unexpected twists, and the burning question of whether All Stars will return. For now, the lights have dimmed on the South African villa, but the conversations, speculations, and social media debates are sure to continue long after the credits roll.