First ever Love Island winner looks unrecognisable 20 years on

Daily Mirror

4 hours ago

In 2005, the first series of Celebrity Love Island aired and it was an ex-Westlife bodyguard and a popular TV host who went on to win
Fran Cosgrave, the inaugural winner of Love Island, is almost unrecognisable in a recent social media snap, sporting a full beard two decades after his stint on the show.
The debut series of Celebrity Love Island graced our screens back in 2005, boasting a star-studded line-up including Atomic Kitten's Liz McClarnon and EastEnders ' Michael Greco.
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However, it was former Westlife bodyguard Fran and telly presenter Jayne Middlemiss who clinched the title.
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Before his Love Island adventure, Fran was romantically linked to Natasha Hamilton from 2001 to 2002, with whom he has a son, Josh, now 21.
Fast forward twenty years, and 47 year old Fran looks strikingly different from his time in the luxurious Fiji villa, having swapped his clean-shaven look for a thick, dark beard, reports OK!.
These days, Fran keeps a low profile, trading TV fame for a career in music. He's currently a producer and DJ for house music trio, the Futuristic Polar Bears, which he founded.
With hit tracks like Running Wild and Damaged under his belt, and a whopping 90 million Spotify streams according to his Instagram bio, Fran has certainly made his mark in the music industry.
The group has toured extensively, lighting up nightclubs around the globe. In a chat with Jennifer Zamparelli on RTE 2FM, Fran reflected on his brush with fame.
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He mused: "You can't take it [fame] too seriously because it's gone as quick as it comes.
"As it came towards 2009, things just started to spin out of control a bit, as it does. I was kind of finished with the whole celebrity thing.
"I started saying, 'no' to loads of programmes and I just wasn't interested in it. My manager, rightly so, was like, 'Mate why won't you do any of these things?' I was just like, 'I'm not there anymore.'"
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The ex-nightclub proprietor has left his wild nights behind, and now when he's touring, he maintains a strict 'no drinking, no partying' rule.
He's also channelled his energy into entrepreneurship, launching RUUD Coffee this year and previously introducing his own bespoke coffee blends and brand, Concrete Coffee, in 2024.
Celebrity Love Island made a comeback for its second season in 2006, featuring stars like Eternal singer and Loose Women panellist Kelle Bryan and Boyzone member Shane Lynch.
Yet, it was models Bianca Gascoigne and Calum Best who emerged victorious in the show's final series before it was axed.