Where are the Love Island UK season 2 cast now? Two couples are still married
The Love Island UK season 2 cast have very different lives after leaving the villa in 2016. While two couples have stood the test of time, many have found new relationships. Some Islanders left the spotlight altogether, including one tragic death.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Where are the Love Island UK season 2 couples now?
- Cara De La Hoyde – Winner
- Nathan Massey – Winner
- Olivia Buckland – Runner-up
- Alex Bowen – Runner-up
- Kady McDermott – 3rd place
- Scott Thomas – 3rd place
- Katie Salmon – 4th place
- Adam Maxted – 4th place
- Emma-Jane Woodhams
- Terry Walsh
- Tina Stinnes
- Sophie Gradon
- Tom Powell
- Liana Isadora Van Riel
- Malin Andersson
- Zara Holland
- James Khan
- Rykard Jenkins
- Rachel Fenton
- Javi Shephard
- Troy Frith
- Lauren Whiteside
- Conclusion
Key takeaways
- Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey won the second season of Love Island UK after coupling up on Day 1.
- Couples Cara De La Hoyde & Nathan Massey and Olivia Buckland & Alex Bowen are the only pairs from the second series still together as of 2025.
- English model Sophie Gradon took her own life in June 2018, almost two years after leaving the Love Island villa.
Where are the Love Island UK season 2 couples now?
The second series of Love Island UK 2016 was one of the most unfiltered and dramatic seasons in the franchise, including Terry and Emma's controversial scene and Zara Holland being stripped of her Miss Great Britain title. Where are they nine years later?
Cara De La Hoyde – Winner
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: July 10, 1990
- Age: 35 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Kent, England
- Social media: Instagram
Cara De La Hoyde entered the Love Island UK 2016 villa on day one and won the show alongside Nathan Massey. The couple continued to date after the show and briefly split before reuniting and getting married in June 2019.
Nathan and Cara are still together and parents to two children. They welcomed their son, Freddie-George, in December 2017 and had a daughter, Delilah, in 2020.
Hoyde is a social media influencer and co-hosts The School Runway podcast with celebrity stylist Bronagh Meere. She also co-founded the online retail fashion shop for children called Embroidery by FJ.
Nathan Massey – Winner
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: June 27, 1992
- Age: 33 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: England
- Social media: Instagram
Nathan Massey transitioned into a career as a social media influencer after becoming the Love Island UK season 2 winner alongside Cara De La Hoyde. He posts family adventures with Cara and their two kids on Instagram and their shared YouTube channel, Dela-Mass Family.
Massey revealed in an August 2025 Instagram video that he was going back to his normal job as a carpenter. He lamented that high taxation was making it hard to make ends meet.
Olivia Buckland – Runner-up
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: January 3, 1994
- Age: 31 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Chelmsford, Essex, England
- Social media: Instagram
Olivia Buckland was a runner-up on Love Island UK season 2 in 2016 alongside Alex Bowen. They were the first pair from the series to marry in September 2018 and are still going strong in 2025.
Alex and Olivia have two children. Their son was born in June 2022, and their daughter arrived in August 2025.
Olivia is now a social media influencer and has appeared in several reality TV shows, including Day Yes to the Dress and Olivia & Alex: Happily Ever After. Her new show with her husband, called Olivia & Alex: Parenthood, premiered on ITV2 on October 12, 2025.
Alex Bowen – Runner-up
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: July 23, 1991
- Age: 34 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Wolverhampton, West Midlands, England
- Social media: Instagram
Alex Bowen entered the Love Island UK 2016 villa on Day 18 and had a strong connection with his wife, Olivia Buckland. The couple moved into their Mediterranean-style dream mansion after selling their £1.3 million countryside property in Essex in mid-2024.
Bowen has an online fitness coaching business called Pure45. The father of two has also built a successful career as an influencer and reality TV star alongside Olivia.
Kady McDermott – 3rd place
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: September 4, 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
- Social media: Instagram
Kady McDermott finished third on the second series of Love Island UK in 2016 alongside Scott Thomas. The pair dated for over a year after leaving the villa before breaking up in December 2017. Katy later dated TOWIE star Myles Barnett from 2018 to 2021 and had a brief relationship with football player Matty Cash in 2022.
McDermott returned to the Love Island villa in 2023 for its 10th season but was dumped on day 44 alongside Ouzy See. She has built her career as a social media influencer and has partnered with brands like Missy Empire, Shein, and Baylis & Harding. She also co-hosts the Don't Judge podcast along with Joanna Chimonides.
Scott Thomas – 3rd place
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: August 11, 1988
- Age: 37 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Salford, Greater Manchester, England
- Social media: Instagram
Scott Thomas chose to work on his sobriety after breaking up with Kady McDermott in 2017. He returned to the dating series for Love Island: All Stars in 2025 but chose to leave the villa after struggling to form a lasting connection.
Thomas is a motivational speaker and founded True Self to share content on personal growth and self-development. He is also the CEO of the public relations agency, The Social PR. The Manchester-based reality TV star co-hosts the podcast, At Home with the Thomas Bro's, alongside his brothers Ryan and Adam.
Katie Salmon – 4th place
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: November 24, 1995
- Age: 29 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Liverpool, England
- Social media: Instagram
Katie Salmon was among the Love Island season 2 finalists, placing fourth alongside Adam Maxted, but they broke up after about two weeks. She entered the villa on day 34 and coupled up with the late Sophie Gradon, becoming the only gay couple on the show.
Salmon got engaged to the late Harry in December 2021, and they welcomed their daughter Thaiga Dean in March 2022. Harry tragically passed away in December 2024.
In July 2025, Katie was found guilty of assaulting her ex-boyfriend's mistress, Jyssica Memory. Later in September, she was sentenced to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years, and narrowly avoided jail time. Salmon is now a self-proclaimed born-again Christian.
Adam Maxted – 4th place
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: March 27, 1992
- Age: 33 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Belfast, Northern Ireland
- Social media: Instagram
Adam Maxted is a Northern Irish professional wrestler based in Manchester. He entered the Love Island 2016 villa on day 11, finishing fourth. After breaking up with Katie Salmon, he briefly dated dance and fitness instructor Carly Taylor.
He returned for Love Island: All Stars in 2024 but was dumped from the villa on day 35 alongside Arabella Chi. In September 2025, the pro wrestler launched 'Becoming Him Brotherhood', a community of men committed to growth.
Emma-Jane Woodhams
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: November 30, 1996
- Age: 28 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Oxfordshire, England
- Social media: Instagram
Emma-Jane Woodhams entered the 2016 series of Love Island UK after her ex-boyfriend, Tom Powell, entered the villa. She coupled up with Terry Walsh, whom she dated for about six months after the show ended.
Woodhams and her ex-boyfriend Jordan Bye welcomed son Alfie in January 2018. She occasionally posts on her Instagram with her son, but has mainly maintained a low profile.
Terry Walsh
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: July 4, 1988
- Age: 37 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Staines, Surrey, England
Terry Walsh was initially paired with Malin Andersson on Love Island 2016 and almost left the show when Malin was voted off, but stayed when Emma-Jane Woodhams entered the villa. After breaking up with Woodhams, he started dating bio-healing therapist Danelle Purdy.
Danielle and Terry welcomed their daughter Talia Renè-Rose in March 2021. Walsh, who worked as a carpenter before Love Island, has maintained a private life with no social media.
Tina Stinnes
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: February 25, 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Slough, Buckinghamshire, England
- Social media: Instagram
Tina Stinnes has remained active on reality television since leaving the Love Island UK series 2 villa single. In 2024, she was made a regular cast member on the E4 reality series Made in Chelsea after previously appearing on the show in 2014 and 2017.
Stinnes returned to Love Island in early 2025 as a contestant on Love Island: All Stars, where she was dumped on day 29. She co-owns the swimwear brand Litora Studio.
Sophie Gradon
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: October 25, 1985
- Place of birth: Newcastle, England
- Date of death: June 20, 2018
- Age at death: 32 years old
- Social media: Instagram
Sophie Gradon was a model who won Miss Newcastle in 2008 and was crowned Miss Great Britain in 2009. After her appearance on the second season of Love Island UK 2016, she started dating Aaron Armstrong.
Gradon passed away on June 20, 2018, at the age of 32 after taking her own life. Her boyfriend, Aaron, also killed himself about three weeks after her death.
Tom Powell
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: December 26, 1991
- Age: 33 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Port Talbot, Wales
- Social media: Instagram
Tom Powell, coupled with the late Sophie Gradon, whom he dated for about six months after leaving the villa. He was a fitness instructor when he joined the show and became a fitness influencer afterwards.
The South Wales native has been vocal about the use of steroids in his fitness routine, which has had negative effects. He reportedly needed a major surgery to remove chest tissue after prolonged use.
Powell works with the nutrition supplement business, DY Nutrition. The fitness enthusiast is also dedicated to animal rescue at an RSPCA animal centre in Swansea, Wales.
Liana Isadora Van Riel
Source: TikTok
- Date of birth: August 9, 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Exeter, England
- Social media: TikTok
Liana Isadora Van Riel was known for her several body modifications, which she did before the age of 21. The former exotic dancer entered the Love Island villa on day 20 and was dumped on day 33.
After the show, Liana stepped back from the limelight and reversed her plastic surgery procedures. She now has a daughter and occasionally posts motherhood content on TikTok after deleting her Instagram.
Malin Andersson
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: October 20, 1992
- Age: 32 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Milton Keynes, England
- Social media: Instagram
Malin Andersson entered the Love Island villa on day 1 and was coupled up with Terry Walsh before she was dumped on day 25. Malin and Terry broke up after she was voted off, and she famously returned to the villa to confront him when he moved on with Emma-Jane Woodhams.
After the show, Malin faced several losses. Her mother passed away from cancer in 2017, and her daughter Consy died at four weeks old in January 2019. Andersson’s baby daddy, Tom Kemp, was given a 10-month prison sentence for being physically abusive during her pregnancy with Consy.
Malin welcomed another daughter, Xaya, in January 2022 with her ex-boyfriend, Jared. The former Islander has since become a mental health advocate, body positivity campaigner, and motivational speaker.
Zara Holland
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: August 24, 1995
- Age: 30 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Hull, England
- Social media: Instagram
Zara Holland coupled up with Alex Bowen on the second series of Love Island UK, and their controversial scenes led to her being stripped of her Miss Great Britain title. She left the villa on day 22.
After the show, Zara started dating Elliot Love, whom she married in July 2023 in a fairytale wedding held in Greece. She runs a fashion boutique called Mimi Boutique with her mother, Cheryl Hakeney.
James Khan
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: May 3, 1996
- Age: 29 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Teddington, London, England
- Social media: Instagram
James Khan left the Love Island villa after two days when Kady McDermott picked Scott Thomas over him. After the series, Khan became a fitness enthusiast and coach. He is a competitive bodybuilder and regularly posts on Instagram.
Rykard Jenkins
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: March 10, 1991
- Age: 34 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Kent, England
- Social media: Instagram
Rykard Jenkins famously left the Love Island villa to pursue a relationship with Rachel Fenton after she was dumped from the show. They dated for about 18 months.
Jenkins was a personal trainer before Love Island, but changed careers to become a trained aesthetic practitioner. He owns an aesthetic clinic in Kent called Rejuvenation Clinic. He is also a fitness enthusiast.
Rachel Fenton
Source: UGC
- Date of birth: September 18, 1992
- Age: 33 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Hampshire, England
- Social media: Instagram
Rachel Fenton left the Love Island villa on day 15. After the show, she returned to her profession as a trauma and orthopaedic nurse for the NHS. In January 2021, she revealed that she would be leaving the UK and relocating to Dubai with her boyfriend. She is still a nurse in the UAE and an Instagram influencer.
Javi Shephard
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: May 12, 1989
- Age: 36 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: York, England
- Social media: Instagram
Javi Shephard entered the Love Island villa on day 1 and was the first Islander to be dumped on day 6. He found love outside the villa with lifestyle blogger Amy Blossom Murray. The couple got engaged in 2020 and tied the knot in October 2023. They announced in September 2025 that their first child would be arriving in December.
Troy Frith
Source: Twitter
- Date of birth: September 10, 1993
- Age: 32 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Kent, England
Troy Frith entered the Love Island UK villa on day 30 and was dumped on day 37. He had mostly stayed out of the spotlight until July 2025, when he was sentenced to one year and two weeks in prison after being found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. He reportedly punched a man over a parking space at a supermarket in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in April 2025, causing him serious head injuries.
Lauren Whiteside
Source: Instagram
- Date of birth: July 6, 1990
- Age: 35 years old (as of October 2025)
- Place of birth: Australia (Raised in Blackpool, England)
- Social media: Instagram
Lauren Whiteside joined Love Island UK season 2 on day 37 and was dumped four days later on day 41. She has kept a low profile since leaving the show, but occasionally shares pictures on her self-titled Instagram. She married Oliver Rimmer in August 2022 in Rome.
Source: Getty Images
Conclusion
Love Island UK season 2 cast has several success stories, including long-term marriages for the winners and runners-up and thriving careers for other contestants.
READ MORE: Love Island 2019: where are they now? Catch up with your favourite stars
Briefly.co.za published a post about the whereabouts of Love Island UK 2019 contestants today. Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea won the fifth series but broke up shortly after the final.
Runners-up Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are the only couple from Love Island UK 2019 still together after a brief split in 2024. Some contestants returned to their original jobs after leaving the villa, including Callum Macleod, who is now an aircraft engineer.
Source: Briefly News
