Reality television’s gravitational pull is showing no signs of waning, and few franchises illustrate its enduring magnetism quite like Love Island. As the summer of 2025 draws to a close, the franchise’s latest alumni are making headlines across continents—some returning to the spotlight, others taking unexpected detours, and a few confronting the sharper edges of reality fame. From the glitz of New York Fashion Week to the launch of a groundbreaking dating show in Pakistan, the influence of Love Island is as sprawling as ever.
Andreina Santos-Marte, who first made waves as a bombshell on Love Island USA Season 7, is set to return to the fray in Love Island Games Season 2, premiering September 16, 2025. The official Love Island USA X account rolled out introduction videos for the new cast on September 12, and Andreina’s candid self-assessment left no doubt about her intentions. “This time I’m actually taking someone’s man, because last time I left single,” she declared, as reported by Parade. Her confidence is unmistakable—she rates her speed at 7/10, strength at a perfect 10/10, and her flirting prowess at a staggering 100. “Because baby, I know how to flirt,” she quipped, promising fireworks in the villa.
Yet, beneath the bravado, Andreina offered a glimpse into the challenges of being perceived solely for her looks. “That’s the problem being hot, so many guys want you because of your body, but I want someone who wants me for me, the whole package,” she explained. Determined to prove herself, she’s been preparing rigorously: “I’m ready, I’ve been working out every morning. I’m Dominican, I’m ready to get dirty.” Her journey on Season 7 saw her coupling with Bryan Arenales during Casa Amor, only to be dumped on Day 24 after landing in the bottom of a public vote. Now, fans are rallying behind her return, with one supporter exclaiming online, “Andreina, Mi amor!!! This is your season!”
While Andreina gears up for a second shot at love and competition, another Love Island USA star is breaking new ground—this time on the runway. Olandria Carthen, also from Season 7, made her New York Fashion Week debut at the Sergio Hudson show on September 12, 2025. According to USA TODAY, Carthen strutted down the runway in a voluminous animal-print blouse and black micro shorts, cheered on by her partner and fellow islander, Nicolas Vansteenberghe, who beamed from the front row. The couple—affectionately dubbed “Nicolandria” by fans—have been the subject of social media buzz since coupling up in the final weeks of the show, particularly after Vansteenberghe’s previous partner exited amid controversy.
Designer Sergio Hudson, who typically reserves his runway for professional models, made an exception for Carthen. “She was just an amazing, dynamic girl. And I wanted to give Gen Z something to look to, and I hope they enjoyed it, because she’s a sweet girl,” Hudson told USA TODAY. The connection was personal, too: Hudson, a South Carolina native, saw a kindred spirit in Carthen’s Alabama roots. “We’re both from the South, and she’s a beautiful girl, inside and out.” Carthen’s journey from elevator sales to the top floors of fashion is a testament to the franchise’s ability to launch new careers well beyond the villa’s walls.
But the Love Island effect isn’t limited to the United States. In Pakistan, the format is inspiring a cultural leap with the imminent debut of Lazawal Ishq, the country’s first-ever dating reality show. Hosted by actress Ayesha Omar and filmed in Istanbul, the series draws heavily from the Love Island playbook: eight contestants—four men and four women—will navigate romance, alliances, and challenges in a luxury villa. According to BizAsiaLive, Lazawal Ishq is being positioned as a show about “finding eternal love, and the trials and lessons leading up to it.”
The show’s producers face a unique challenge: Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority imposes strict guidelines on on-screen intimacy, so Lazawal Ishq is expected to land on an OTT platform, sidestepping traditional TV. The hope is to blend high production values and dramatic storytelling with cultural sensitivity, offering Urdu-speaking audiences a distinctly local take on a global phenomenon.
Not all alumni, however, are basking in newfound fame or opportunity. Helena Ford, who appeared on the 2025 season of ITV’s Love Island in the UK, is facing the reality of her own candor. A former cabin crew member, Ford now believes her on-air remarks about passengers have closed the door on a return to her old job. “I don’t think they will take me back after that roast I did. Plus all the passengers will think, ‘Oh no, I’m going to get roasted now,’” she told the Daily Star. Ford is currently taking a step back, focusing on self-improvement and therapy, and admits she’s not looking to return to her previous career anytime soon.
Meanwhile, the dream of influencer stardom is proving unsustainable for some. Mitchel Taylor, a familiar face from Love Island Season 10 (2023) and All Stars (2024), has traded social media fame for a steady paycheck. The 27-year-old recently announced on Instagram that he’s returned to work as a gas engineer, joking, “You gotta do Love Island and you gotta do your day job, because money keeps sexy girlfriends and buys houses.” Taylor, who is now in a relationship with TikTok’s Hayley Griffin, ruled out a return to reality TV, sharing, “And I can’t go on a dating show because I’m in love with a girl. But it’s not that, guys, it’s just like I’ve been working loads.”
Perhaps no recent story underscores the personal toll of reality TV more than that of Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu. After being evicted fourth from Celebrity Big Brother in March 2024 amid accusations of being “fake,” the 31-year-old found herself at rock bottom. In a candid conversation on Jamie Laing’s Great Company podcast, Cülcüloğlu revealed she received death threats and suffered severe mental health challenges. “It was a very low point I felt because I already felt worthless going in the house, coming out to a lot of hate and death threats and people saying, ‘you don’t deserve to be alive,’” she recalled. Therapy, she said, helped her begin to heal: “The therapist recommended I speak the truth because if you don’t tell the truth, you’ll always have that anxiety in you. So, I eventually did, and that felt like a weight off my shoulders.”
Now, Cülcüloğlu is poised for a comeback, joining the cast of Inside: USA—a Netflix reality show based on a format created by the UK’s Sidemen, where internet personalities compete for a cash prize while living under constant surveillance. The show, which launches September 21, 2025, promises a fresh start and a new challenge for the embattled star.
From the catwalks of New York to the streaming screens of South Asia, the Love Island franchise continues to shape—and sometimes shake—the lives of its alumni. Whether chasing a second chance at love, a new career, or simply peace of mind, these islanders remind us that the real world, with all its twists and turns, is never far from the villa.
