Love Island’s twelfth season wrapped up last week, but the drama has hardly cooled off. Harry Cooksley, the 30-year-old professional footballer and runner-up of this year’s show, has been at the center of a swirling rumor mill since just before the final. The controversy? Allegations that Harry was romantically involved with a close friend of former Islander Montana Brown mere days before stepping into the Mallorca villa to search for love on national television.
The speculation reached a fever pitch on August 4, 2025, hours before the grand finale, when Montana Brown, who first gained fame as a contestant in the show’s third season, took to TikTok to air her grievances. In a candid video, she urged her followers not to support Harry in the final vote, claiming, “Harry was seeing someone that I know, one of my good friends, right before he went on the show and wrote her a letter and said, oh my gosh I know you’re going to be really surprised at this but I still love you and we’re going to be together and I just need to sort my head out and all of this c**p.” According to Montana, Harry’s actions made him a “walking red flag” and unworthy of the public’s backing.
The fallout was immediate, with fans and gossip sites buzzing about the alleged pre-villa romance. Just days later, Harry found himself in the hot seat during an appearance on This Morning alongside his villa partner, Shakira Khan. Host Emma Willis wasted no time, asking Harry directly about Montana’s claims. Harry didn’t dodge the question. Instead, he admitted, “Yeah, I was dating before I came in – I think we all were. I went on a few dates with her friend. You’re not in the villa until you’re actually in the villa. I only told my family and two of my closest mates I was going on Love Island.” He was quick to add that it “wasn’t a serious relationship,” emphasizing, “It’s true, I was dating people obviously. But my actual ex girlfriend came into the villa, so it wasn’t like it was an actual ex. Things have changed a lot in the last eight weeks.”
Harry’s candor did little to quell the storm, especially after Montana doubled down on her TikTok, reiterating that Harry’s conduct before the show should disqualify him from winning. “Now I’m like this guy cannot win. Although I love Shakira from what I’ve seen of her, she’s incredible,” Montana told her followers, according to Daily Mail. The comments sparked heated debate among fans, with some siding with Montana’s protective instincts and others arguing that Harry’s pre-villa life shouldn’t overshadow his journey on the show.
Inside the villa, Harry’s romantic escapades were hardly less complicated. He and Shakira were coupled up early on, but Harry’s “roaming eye” (as Daily Mail put it) led to a series of love triangles and dramatic recouplings. He sneaked off to the Hideaway with Helena Ford just 56 hours into the series, despite not being officially coupled up with her. The pair’s chemistry was undeniable, and at one point, Harry even asked Helena to become exclusive. But the path of true love never did run smooth on Love Island.
As the weeks rolled by, Harry’s ex Emma made a surprise entrance during the infamous Casa Amor twist, blindsiding both Harry and the rest of the cast. “I was buzzing for Casa Amor, it was the promised land, we were training for it like it was the World Cup final, working out every day,” Harry later recounted on Lorraine. “When I saw her I put my head in my hands. She gave me a few home truths.” Despite their history, Harry and Emma didn’t rekindle their romance, but Harry’s time in Casa Amor was still eventful. He struck up a flirtation with newcomer Rheo, sharing kisses under the covers, before ultimately returning to the main villa single.
Back in the main villa, Harry resumed his rollercoaster relationship with Helena. However, after Helena called it quits, Harry found his way back to Shakira—a move that seemed to bring him some much-needed stability. Reflecting on this period, Harry told Lorraine, “Speaking to Shakira one on one, it was natural. I’d buried a lot of emotions for her and it all came out. I’m so glad I stuck my neck out.” Shakira, for her part, admitted, “Having to watch him with Helena every day was so tough. In the outside world you have a bit of distance but they’re in the bed next to me. I was buzzing for Casa Amor when it happened.”
After the final, Harry and Shakira appeared together on Lorraine for their first joint interview. Harry addressed the rumors once more, saying, “I couldn’t have been more single going into the villa, but I was dating and seeing people. I only told four people I was going in.” He also clarified his post-villa status with Helena: “Helena and I are moving forward as friends. We haven’t spoken on the outside but had a couple of conversations before she left. I’m delighted it’s amicable.”
Shakira’s family, too, became part of the Love Island story. Her mother, who famously refused to hug Harry during the show, is reportedly “warming to him” and wants to meet him soon. “The meet with my mum went better than we thought it might! She’s on holiday at the minute on a cruise. She’s warming to him, she wants to meet him, sooner rather than later,” Shakira shared.
The finale itself was one for the books. ITV revealed that Toni and Cach clinched the £50,000 cash prize with 33.5% of the vote, while Shakira and Harry came a close second with 26.2%. Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes secured third place with 22%, and Angel Swift and Ty Isherwood rounded out the finalists with 18.3%. The 15% spread between first and fourth place made it the closest final vote in the show’s decade-long history.
Despite the off-screen drama and on-screen heartbreaks, Harry and Shakira’s journey resonated with viewers, nearly earning them the top spot. Whether the rumors about Harry’s pre-villa dating life will linger or fade as he and Shakira navigate life outside the villa, only time will tell. For now, the couple seems determined to move forward, leaving the past—and the rumors—behind them.
