Love Island winners: where are they now?

The first series of winter Love Island kicked off on Sunday evening, with 2.5 million people tuning in for the launch - 800,000 fewer than the opening episode of the summer 2019 series.

The new season is the first time the ITV2 reality show has been staged in South Africa, where 12 new islanders have entered a new sun-drenched three-storey villa.

Viewers were introduced to new host Laura Whitmore, who replaced Caroline Flack after the former host was charged with assaulting her boyfriend.

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Last month, police found her partner Lewis Burton covered in blood, after being called to reports of a man being assaulted at Flack’s home.

Despite calls for the hit reality TV series to be pulled over the suicides of two contestants this past year, the show has continued to be a hit.

Islander Mike Thalassitis, 26, was found hanged in woodland near his home last March, less than a year after another of the show’s former contestants - 32-year-old Sophie Gradon - was found dead at her parents’ home in Ponteland.

Here’s a look back at the past winners of the show:

Season 1: Jessica Hayes and Max Morley

The inaugural season of the revived Love Island series saw Jessica Hayes and Max Morley spark up a relationship, and take home the top prize.

Just six weeks after leaving the villa the couple split up, according to OK! Magazine. “Jessica has pursued her modelling career and has listed herself as a model and influencer on her Instagram account,” says the magazine.

She is now engaged to mechanic Dan Lawry and the couple had a son, Presley, in June.

Max, meanwhile, appeared on another reality TV show, Ex On The Beach. His Instagram page says he is “just a lad enjoying life”.

After being romantically linked to former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, as well as Zara Holland, who competed on Love Island in 2016, Max begun a relationship with Laura Anderson, a star on the 2018 series. However, after an on-off relationship, it was reported that they had split up “for good this time around” last July, reports The Sun.

Season 2: Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey

Circus performer Cara De La Hoyde and carpenter Nathan Massey were crowned winners of Love Island 2016 after a whirlwind romance.

The couple split up in 2017, one month before Cara announced she was pregnant with Nathan’s child.

Shortly before the birth of the baby, named Freddie-George, the couple got back together and married in June last year.

Nathan told OK! Magazine: “We’ve got much stronger; Fred has brought us closer together. A year ago the pressures of coming off a TV show like that got a bit too much and we split up.

“But since we’ve had Fred, I don't think we’ve argued once – we get on so well now. Having Fred completely changed our relationship for the better.”

Season 3: Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies

Hairdresser Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies, who stormed to victory on Love Island 2017, split up in December the same year after 132 days together, says Cosmopolitan.

“With sadness, we’ve decided to separate,” Kem and Amber said in a statement. “We fell in love in the villa and want to thank all the fans of the show for supporting us. We’ll remain good friends.”

The statement came as an insider claimed the couple had been struggling to make it work due to their busy schedules.

“They’ve been at each other’s necks for the past month,” the source told The Sun. “They’ve been living on top of each other and clashed over the smallest things.

Starting 2020 with a bang, Kim announced his first relationship in the public eye since his split from Amber in 2017.

The media personality posted a photo with new girlfriend Lexi Hyzler, saying: “2019 was such a big year I am forever grateful for all the experiences I had. Very thankful for the special people around me. Excited for 2020.”

Meanwhile Amber is pursuing an acting career, and is represented by prestigious talent agency Curtis Brown.

Season 4: Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer

The 2018 winners were in an on-again-off-again relationship since their time on the show, but they called it off for good in April last year.

Dani has since rekindled her romance with stockbroker Sammy Kimmence, reports The Sun. She has also worked with InTheStyle on a string of collections, starred in a panto with her EastEnders actor father and released her own tell-all book, What Would Dani Do?: My guide to living your best life.

Jack, on the other hand, has launched his own brand of stationary. He has appeared on The All New Monty on ITV for charity and has partnered with Protein World, losing almost 30lbs.

Series 5: Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea

The couple received 48.82% of the final public vote, pushing fellow contestants Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague into runner-up position.

But winning isn’t everything, and unlike Tommy and Molly-Mae, the public’s favourite couple broke up just five weeks after their Love Island victory. Greg was unwilling to leave his homeland of Ireland, according to Amber, who said: “I just wanted some effort from him to come to Newcastle or London to see me and he was like, ‘Okay, bye!’”

Amber went on to sign a £1m brand ambassador deal with clothing range Miss Pap, while Greg has continued his rugby sevens career. The Irish fly-half is targeting the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, reports The Telegraph.