Love Island UK is back for its 12th season, set to premiere on June 9, 2025, promising another sizzling summer of romance, drama, and unexpected twists. This year marks a special milestone as the iconic ITV reality dating series celebrates its tenth anniversary on screens, with host Maya Jama hinting at some big surprises to keep viewers hooked throughout the eight-week run.
The new season will air Monday nights at 9pm on ITV2 and be available for live streaming on ITVX, the network’s free streaming platform. However, since ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, fans outside the country can still catch all the action by using a VPN service like ExpressVPN. This tool masks your digital location, allowing access to ITVX from anywhere worldwide. ExpressVPN stands out with its servers in 105 countries, including the UK, user-friendly apps across multiple devices, a strict no-logging policy, and fast speeds that ensure smooth streaming.
For those eager to watch Love Island UK live for free, signing up for ExpressVPN is straightforward. After downloading the app on devices ranging from Windows and Mac to Android and iOS, users simply connect to a UK server, unlock ITVX, and dive into the villa’s drama. ExpressVPN offers up to eight simultaneous connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee, making it a flexible choice for singles and groups alike. A two-year subscription is currently discounted by 61% at $139, including four extra months free and a year of unlimited cloud backup, while a one-month plan costs $12.95.
As anticipation builds, the spotlight turns to the new batch of contestants ready to stir things up in the Love Island villa. Among the single ladies entering the 2025 season are some truly compelling characters, each bringing their own stories and personalities to the mix.
Glasgow’s 23-year-old Alima Gagigo is a wealth management client services executive with a strong emphasis on family values. Her unique experience helping her mother deliver her sister during a rapid 15-minute home birth five years ago has shaped her outlook. Reflecting on that intense moment, Alima recalled, “I was busy writing an essay for university when my mum went into labour. I called an ambulance and a woman on the phone told me what to do. I gathered hot towels and a shoelace for the umbilical cord.” She even told her lecturer what happened, who initially doubted her story, joking that there were easier ways to get an extension.
From Manchester comes Sophie Lee, a 29-year-old motivational speaker and author whose life changed dramatically following a fire breathing accident at age 22. The injury resulted in a keloid tumour, and she became an international case study. Sophie has openly documented her recovery journey and authored the book In My Skin: Learning to Love Your Perfectly Imperfect Life. She shared, “When I was 22 a fire breathing accident changed my life. Because of the depth of my burn, I’m very lucky to be alive. I developed a keloid tumour. I found out there was no cure in the world. It’s been a long process and I’ve documented it very openly. For me it’s about raising awareness and also helping other trauma survivors.” Sophie’s courage and advocacy have even influenced NHS policy, making certain surgeries more widely available.
Londoner Helena Ford, 29, brings a quirky charm to the villa. A cabin crew member, she boasts the unique claim to fame of being followed by pop star Justin Bieber on social media, a nod to her days as a devoted fan. Helena’s ideal partner is “somebody funny or northern,” but she has some unusual deal breakers, confessing, “I don’t have one main ick, I have lots of smaller weird icks, like if people have a suitcase that only has two wheels.”
Musical theatre performer and energy broker Megan Forte Clarke, 24, originally from Dublin and now living in Brighton, has already made waves online with her viral TikTok fame. She embraces the comparisons to former Love Islander Maura Higgins but has clear standards for potential suitors. Megan described her biggest turn-off as “a boy that posts selfies in the mirror where they’re smouldering or doing the pointing finger in pictures.”
From Southampton, 25-year-old payroll specialist Meg Moore describes herself as akin to a children’s entertainer, beloved by friends’ kids who flock to her for playdates and park trips. She’s ready to find love but insists on good hygiene and style, stating, “Hygiene is my biggest ick. You have to be clean, if you’re not changing your boxers, if you’re not brushing your teeth, if you’re not washing your nails and keeping your feet nice...that’s an ick.” She also dislikes men wearing flip-flops, adding, “If you wear flip flops around me I can’t stand it.”
Finally, Burnley-based marketer Shakira Khan, 22, stands out as a real-life princess, literally. She entertains children at parties dressed in costume and has even performed at celebrity footballers’ kids’ birthdays. Shakira’s unique talent includes making a duck out of a napkin, and she prides herself on her stubborn nature, admitting, “I’m so stubborn. I won’t pick an argument unless I’m right.” She’s serious about her Love Island journey and openly admits, “I’m looking for the ring.”
With such a diverse and intriguing group of contestants, the 12th season of Love Island UK promises plenty of entertainment, heartfelt moments, and the inevitable drama that fans crave. Whether viewers are in the UK or abroad, the combination of ITV2 broadcasts and streaming via ITVX—unlocked with services like ExpressVPN—ensures no one misses a moment of the villa’s summer saga.
As the countdown to the June 9 premiere ticks down, excitement is palpable. This season, with its milestone anniversary and fresh faces, looks set to deliver the perfect mix of romance, rivalry, and reality TV magic that has made Love Island a cultural phenomenon for a decade.
