
Nepotism Island! From the daughter of a footballing legend to the son of a boyband star - the celebrity offspring who have appeared on Love Island as contestant whose dad introduced him to David Beckham enters the villa
The show, which has now had a long line of celebrity offspring appear, has acted as a platform for the children of famous faces to make their own way in showbiz.
Notable names over the years include Danny Dyer 's daughter Dani, Michael Owen 's daughter Gemma and Ronan Keating's son Jack.
And now, the son of former professional footballer Gifton Noel-Williams, Dejon, will be the latest nepo baby to appear on the reality dating show.
Following in his father's talented footsteps, Dejon is a semi-professional footballer which he does alongside his job as a personal trainer.
Gifton is a football manager and former footballer and has previously introduced his son to all sorts of famous connections.
Dejon revealed that one of the biggest names he has met through his father is none other than David Beckham.
Speaking on growing up around the game, he said: 'I've met all kinds of famous people through him.
'When I was younger it was weird because he was just my dad, but we'd go to a game and fans were asking for photos. I've met David Beckham, he was really nice.'
Dejon, from London, boasts 11,000 followers on social media thanks in part to his regular shirtless gyn snaps.
His bio reads: 'I go beyond the gym—helping you build Strength, Confidence & Discipline for life.'
In 2021, he represented the Grenada national football team.
Dejon is looking for: 'Someone who is beautiful on the inside and out, looks after themselves and is healthy.'
Dani Dyer
Dani Dyer's stint on the show came in 2018, when she won the fourth series of Love Island alongside her then-boyfriend Jack Fincham.
Nepo baby Dani was already known before her time on the show due to her actor dad Danny, who is best known for his roles on EastEnders, Rivals and Football Factory.
Dani, who recently married footballer Jarrod Bowen, has worked on several projects since her memorable appearance on the series.
Shortly after leaving the show, she signed a £500,000 deal to design her own range for In The Style, becoming a celebrity ambassador for the brand.
She also began appearing as a guest reporter on The One Show in 2019, and the following year she launched a range of lip products with Vaseline.
Dani Dyer's successful TV career, including her time on Love Island and subsequent projects, is seen by some as a result of her father's influence.
The mother of three also appeared in an advert for Surf washing products and coined the earworm 'perf with Surf'.
She now co-hosts a popular podcast with her dad, Sorted With The Dyers.
Following the breakdown of her relationship with her co-star Jack, she began dating conman Sammy Kimmence, who she welcomed son Santiago with.
In 2021 he was jailed for defrauding two pensioners out of nearly £34,000.
Gemma Owen
The daughter of Liverpool footballing legend Gemma, 22, appeared on the show during series eight of the programme in 2022 when she was 19 years old.
Gemma, who has largely shunned the spotlight since her time on TV, signed a six-figure deal with fast fashion retailer PrettyLittleThing after the villa.
The brand, who had worked closely with Love Island success story Molly-Mae Hague, signed Gemma with hopes of her being the face of the brand in a year-long partnership.
At the time, Gemma claimed it was a 'dream come true', however she has since moved away from promoting fashion fashion to focus on her equestrian career.
Gemma is an international dressage rider who has represented Great Britain in competitions worldwide.
She began her dressage career at age eight and has competed at the European Junior Riders Championship, British U21 Championships, and Prix St Georges level.
In 2023, she tragically lost her horse, Sirius Black III, and recently revealed she plans to compete at international level again soon on her horse, Ronnie.
While on the show Gemma was paired up with Luca Bish, who later become her boyfriend before splitting months later. She is now dating show jumper Red Morgan.
Jack Keating
In the same year, Ronan Keating's son Jack also joined the show during the Casa Amor segment of the series.
Jack, who was 23 when he appeared, was among the six new boys to arrive.
At the time, Ronan admitted he had been 's****ing himself' waiting for Jack to enter Casa Amor, but is 'so proud of him'.
Jesting to the crowd not to switch to the TV just yet, he continued: 'I don't want you all leaving the gig now to go home and watch it, stay until the end and then you can watch it on iPlayer or what'd you call it, ITV Player.'
Ronan went on to admit that he has been 's****ing myself' because he couldn't tell anyone, sharing: 'Can we talk about it please? Because I don't know how I feel.'
'I'm very excited, he's gonna be amazing. He's such a sweetheart and has got the biggest heart in the world and I'm so proud of him. And off he goes, this is his adventure, it's all about him and i'm just going to sit back and watch Love Island every night!' explained Ronan.
Prior to entering the villa, Jack, who is from Dublin but lives in London, said that his father is 'buzzing' that he is entering the famous Love Island villa.
'My dad is a singer, Ronan Keating. He will be watching when I'm on it for sure,' he said.
In March earlier this year, it was revealed Jack had split from his new girlfriend just months after going official with the romance.
It is the latest romantic mishap for the Love Island star, 26, who also failed to find love when he entered the villa back in 2022.
He announced his new relationship with midwife Abby Phillips at the end of last year.
But he has removed all trace of his latest girlfriend from his Instagram account, where he had shared how proud he was of his beau for graduating.
The pair have also unfollowed each other on the app.
Jack, a father of one, confirmed the news that he was recently single and said he is already dating again but 'taking it slow'.
Jack's revelation that he is back on the market comes after he explained how he met Abby earlier this year.
He told Evoke: 'I had a girlfriend and she had a boyfriend for a while, so we kind of just kept up-to-date with each other and then I became single, she became single.
'I saw her on Hinge and I was like 'right, let me slide into those DMs there.''
He told Goss.ie: 'I was actually on a date last night – went pretty well.
'I'm doing the rounds. Back in. Taking it slow though. Very slow.'
But while Jack's dating life appears to be having its ups and downs, he said that he is loving life as a dad.
He added: 'Dad life as well. My daughter Maya turned two – So yeah, amazing.'
Jack's former partner, Keely Iqbal, discovered that she was expecting while he was in the Love Island villa.
Claudia Fogarty
Other memorable contestants who arrived on the show with celebrity familial links included Carl Fogarty's daughter Claudia and Tamer Hassan's daughter Belle.
Claudia was a contestant on the winter series of Love Island in 2023. She made her memorable entrance during the heart-rate challenge on day 23.
Claudia found romance with Casey O'Gorman, who has since appeared on the show twice more, but their short-lived fling ended in the villa.
She is now happily dating Ollie Crankshaw, who she is expecting a baby with.
The star, 30, took to her Instagram page to reveal she is expecting her first child - a baby girl, with Ollie, who she went public with in September 2023.
She penned in a caption as the pair showed off their scan: 'Half of me half of you. We can't wait to meet you. Baby Crankshaw coming November 25.'
It was also recently revealed that nearly two years after her stint on the popular show, Claudia is swapping her reality TV roots for a new career in the fitness industry.
Claudia has embarked on a new journey as a Kore Reformer Pilates instructor, having recently gained her fitness qualifications, and took to Instagram to share the news with her followers.
Sharing several stunning snaps of herself in a fitted black activewear set while teaching a full class, Claudia wrote: 'In my Pilates girl era… I have started a Pilates page where I'm going to put all my reformer content on.
'I would love for you guys to give me a follow and come with me on my Pilates journey.
'I'll be sharing lots and happy to chat to anyone who wants to come to classes or book in with me for a 1:1.
She concluded: 'So excited for this new chapter and to see where it takes me (love heart emoji)'
On her Instagram story, she reposted the announcement, writing: 'Just me finding a new path in life. Loving this new journey already.
'So much to look forward to and share with you all. I've got a feeling this year is going to be a good year (love heart emoji).'
She also posted her class schedule, which includes sessions from early morning to late evening, urging followers to book quickly as 'spaces are filling up fast.'
Following in the footsteps of her mother, Michelle, a fitness coach, Claudia is now making her own mark in the wellness space.
Before this career shift, she co-ran the clothing boutique Sister Stories with her sister, Danielle Fogarty.
Belle Hassan
Tamer's daughter Belle Hassan appeared on Love Island during its fifth season. Specifically, she entered the villa during the Casa Amor episode.
Belle appeared on Love Island's 2019 series where she had a romance with Anton Danyluk.
However, their union did not last outside of the villa, with the pair splitting after just five weeks of dating after the show ended.
She then had a brief romance with Absolutely Ascot star Rudi Hewitt.
In 2023 she admitted that she was afraid to go out after she was left with a black eye in a brutal attack the December before, insisting 'people do want to hurt you physically or verbally' following her appearance on Love Island.
The reality personality who competed on the 2019 series, was 'hit in the face and abused' while on an evening out and she said she's come to expect a hostile reaction from some people while out in public.
Speaking to Johnny Seifert on Secure The Insecure podcast, she explained: 'Situations like that happen a lot to influencers on nights out and you know you get people coming up to you saying, 'You think you are something because you were on the telly,' And, I am like, no I don't.
'I try to be nice to everyone and sometimes, in certain situations, you are only human, you do get into an argument and people do want to hurt you physically or verbally and they do want to be nasty to you, and I can only put that down to what people are going through in their own lives, and unfortunately they are unhappy.
'We have all been in a bad mental state and we have all been unhappy. But that is not an excuse to hurt someone physically or verbally.
'That is for them to work out on their self love journey why they are doing that, not for me. But hopefully they will get that sorted.'
The screen star said she was scared at first to go out in public and returned to the scene of the incident in a bid to overcome her fears.
She added: 'But, I am all good. I was a little bit nervous after going out again.
'So you know what I thought. I am going to go back to the same place and conquer the fear and I did it and I was okay.'
Since appearing on Love Island, Belle has moved to Edinburgh and opened a beauty salon, moving away from the showbiz industry.
She has mostly recently been publicly romantically involved with rugby player Luke Crosbie, who she announced she had split from.
In February, Belle shared a heartbreaking post about suffering from 'emotional abuse'.
She said she was at the 'lowest point in her life' and is struggling to get out of bed in the mornings. Belle did not name the person she claimed was causing her the emotional abuse.
She was last known to be dating Luke, with them sharing loved-up snaps together last year. The star has now mysteriously deleted all of the snaps of them together and they no longer follow each other on socials.
Tommy Fury
While he is the son of ex-professional boxer John Fury, Tommy's best known relative is boxing legend Tyson Fury - who has held multiple world heavyweight championships.
When he appeared on the fifth series of the programme in 2019, he was billed as the champion boxer's handsome younger brother.
Speaking about his brother in his pre-show interview, he said: 'I'm my own man and I've said it throughout my whole boxing career.
'I don't want to be labelled as his little brother, I'm my own man and I'm doing the best that I can do in life and that's all I'm setting out to achieve.'
Now a household name himself, Tommy has enjoyed incredible success since the show, both in his professional and private life.
He has released clothing edits, secured modelling deals and also resurrected his boxing career. Most recently beating Kenan Hanjalic after 18 months off.
During his series, Tommy finished in second place alongside Molly-Mae Hague, with the couple still together all these years later.
Tommy proposed to Molly Mae in 2023 months after the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Bambi together, in January.
But the couple shocked the showbiz world last summer when Molly Mae released a statement announcing they had decided to split.
She shared the post on Instagram last August after five years together, with many suspecting he had been unfaithful.
In a statement posted to her 8.5million Instagram followers, Molly confirmed the breakup, saying: 'I never imagined our story would end, especially not this way.'
Tommy denied continued speculation about him cheating during a magazine interview, insisting any reports about him being with other women were 'complete and utter b*****ks.'
Tommy said the reason he and Molly ended their romance was down to his excessive drinking.
The aftermath of he break-up was documented in first installment of Molly-Mae's fly on the wall show, Molly-Mae: Behind It All.
The couple have since confirmed they are giving things another go, while Tommy is also set to film his own show.
Antigoni Buxton
Before appearing on the eighth series of the show, Antigoni, 29, was no stranger to the world of television due to her celebrity chef mother Tonia Buxton. Tonia is a regular guest on Sunday Brunch.
Antigoni's mother shared her excitement at her daughter entering the villa at the time: 'I can not believe that my @antigoni is in the Love Island Villa, she mentioned she would be sunbathing this week I didn't think she meant in Mallorca!'
She added: 'We are all so excited for you and know you will be amazing! You have always been an island girl, so I know you will fit right in!
Antigoni had a blossoming singing career ahead of her villa arrival - which was described as a mix of 'hip hop with UK beats and Greek/Middle Eastern elements'.
Just weeks before entering the show she released a single called Hit List.
In the villa she first coupled up with Davide Sanclimenti before ending up in a friendship couple with Charlie Radnedge.
Although she didn't have the most successful time on Love Island, the singer-songwriter has thrived since she left.
Appearing on the ITV2 show did give her singing career a boost, and in her single – titled You Can Have Him – Antigoni vents about a rival love interest 'taking her man'.
While Antigoni insists the song isn't about any of her fellow Islanders (despite previously throwing shade at 'dishonest' Ekin-Su for picking Davide), she revealed she was inspired by a conversation with Love Island producers.
Speaking on the Bangin' With Chloe Veitch podcast, Antigoni told the Too Hot to Handle star, 'As far as I know, no one's taken my man yet. Or ever. Touch wood.
'What inspired that song was… I got approached to go on Love Island early this year and I was in the process of deciding whether to do it and I had some Zoom calls with the producers. One of the producers was like to me, 'What would you do if somebody came in and you were coupled up with someone and one of the new girls wanted your man?'
Although she didn't have the most successful time on Love Island, the singer-songwriter has thrived since she left
'I was like, 'Well, if you can take him you can have him' and it's like something that my dad's always said. No matter how much you want to be with somebody, you can't force someone to be with you. If somebody can take that person from you, it means they weren't meant for you.'
Not only has she released her own music but she is also the founder of clothing label Antonia Bronze and has recently announced another fashion based project.
Molly Marsh
Molly, 23, appeared on the show in 2023 and caused a debate at the time due to suggestions her mother helped her gain a spot on the show.
Molly's mum, Janet, has played three different roles on ITV's popular soap Coronation Street including a nurse, receptionist, and ITU nurse.
But Janet slammed the 'narrative' that her theatre performer daughter was only given a place on the show because of her industry connections.
Her first foray onto the cobbles was in 2005, where she played a nurse and she then joined the soap again in March 2008 playing a receptionist at the Scott-Roe Clinic.
A year later, Janet returned to Weatherfield, this time to portray an ITU nurse after character Claire Peacock was rushed to hospital after being found unconscious at home.
Molly, 23, appeared on the show in 2023 and caused a debate at the time due to suggestions her mother helped her gain a spot on the show
Molly's mum, Janet, has played three different roles on ITV's popular soap Coronation Street including a nurse, receptionist, and ITU nurse
Her first foray onto the cobbles was in 2005, where she played a nurse and she then joined the soap again in March 2008 playing a receptionist at the Scott-Roe Clinic
Janet has had quite the TV career, having bagged other credits in shows such as Where The Heart Is, Bodies, In The Dark, Love, Lies and Records.
Since appearing on Love Island, Molly Marsh, where she was coupled with Zach Noble, has launched a music career, releasing her debut single Werewolf.
She has also been working on writing and recording new music in the studio.
In addition to her musical endeavors, she has been building a strong social media presence, regularly posting fun TikTok videos and routines.
Molly and Zach split after seven months together, removing any trace of each other on social media after making the decision to end their romance.
They reunited just weeks later for a holiday to Australia where they rekindled their romance but they have recently been plagued by split rumours again.
Liam Llewellyn
Liam chose to leave series eight after six days and his departure made for uncomfortable viewing as he decided villa life wasn't for him.
He returned home to his mum and dad, the latter being international rugby player David Llewellyn who played in the 1999 World Cup for Wales.
The student was originally coupled up with Gemma Owen and it appeared they had more in common than they thought. They both have famous parents.
Revealing why he decided to leave the show, Liam told MailOnline he couldn't cope with his actions being controlled by producers.
Liam chose to leave series eight after six days and his departure made for uncomfortable viewing as he decided villa life wasn't for him
He returned home to his mum and dad, the latter being international rugby player David Llewellyn who played in the 1999 World Cup for Wales (Liam and dad pictured at graduation)
The Welsh student native said he underestimated how being filmed 24/7 would impact him mentally, knowing his every move was being watched and edited unfavourably.
Liam said: 'I thought I was going to have the summer that everyone dreams of but now I'm living with no regrets, I took a chance but I realised I can't live on TV.
'I was expected to do things for a TV show and I couldn't be myself. I didn't want to do it. It is a TV show and it is produced. It's not all natural.
'In my head I was not in the right position to take part in a TV show because that's what you're doing. You have to go on dates, do challenges, and you're not in control of any of it.
'On my dates they asked me to repeat things because it didn't quite come through.
'I had loads of meetings with the execs, the series editor, and professional physiologists but after a couple of days of feeling the way I did, I made the decision on my own behalf that it wasn't right for me to carry on.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mail
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
MasterChef contestant from upcoming series claims Gregg Wallace 'eyed up and ogled' her and hits out at BBC for then editing HER out from the show
A contestant for the upcoming amateur season of MasterChef has emerged with fresh claims against Gregg Wallace, while slamming the BBC for editing her out of the show. Sarah Shafi, who was set to appear on the show's yet to be aired season, said Mr Wallace, 60, made her feel 'uncomfortable', and described MasterChef as a bad experience from the outset. Setting out her hopes for the show, in an interview for Newsnight, she claimed to have been 'eyed up and ogled' by the TV host, before adding: 'I went there being faithful to just felt that was very uncomfortable for me.' When asked what Gregg Wallace had done to make her feel 'so bad', Ms Shafi said it began from a 'throwaway comment' made by the grocer about his reputation with women, however she couldn't remember it verbatim. She added: 'I didn't know how to respond to that. And that I just thought, where's that come from? Why was he saying that to me? 'And then later he came, it was a bit closer and made a comment that I was really amazing and I thought, it's weird, but I'll take it. But I thought I just don't like it. I felt it was off.' Banijay UK, the production company behind MasterChef, told the BBC they had no records of Ms Shafi raising concerns about Mr Wallace's behaviour at the time. They also said they found no evidence of her claims in unedited footage. When this was brought up, the contestant said it 'probably happened off camera', before saying she spoke to family when she arrived back at her hotel, and then MasterChef on the phone the following day. Describing the show as feeling like a 'boys game', she said it was not an environment she wanted to be a part of or participate in. Ms Shafi then took a swipe at the BBC, claiming she was edited out following a 'heated conversation' where she felt under pressure to agree in what she later described as a woman 'getting silenced into extinction'. Saying she was 'flabbergasted' by the broadcaster's decision to edit her out, she claimed to have felt 'coerced' into agreeing to be cut out before the show being aired was announced, 'But I was very firm that, you know, you say it's life-changing for all those contestants, what I'd probably argue that top 10 at best,' she said. 'What about the women? What about those... 43 or those 83 women who have substantiated claims have made, their lives might have changed for the worse. 'Where's the respect for them? They're talking about calling the contestants to see if they're okay with the show being aired. 'What about those victims who are going to be re-traumatised by seeing their perpetrators on television again? Did they, did the BBC speak to them?' When asked by Newsnight what the BBC could do beyond scrapping MasterChef, the contestant questioned 'where was the learning' and 'self-awareness' from the broadcaster was following allegations of sexual misconduct against its staff. Ms Shafi's allegations to Newsnight comes after it was revealed that the BBC would air its amateur 2025 series of MasterChef. In the nine months since the hit BBC programme finished filming last Autumn there have been questions over whether it would ever be broadcast following allegations of inappropriate behaviour against presenter Wallace. The corporation since revealed the amateur series of MasterChef filmed last year, before allegations against Gregg were upheld, will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from August 6. The Daily Mail understand that the BBC have advised Banijay to reduce Gregg and Jon's screen time to a minimum in light of the report's findings. Yesterday, the former Masterchef host has claimed he is sorry for hurting the 41 people accusing him of inappropriate behaviour. He tearfully pleaded 'I'm not a groper, a sex pest or a flasher' in his first interview since the BBC axed him following complaints from multiple women over several years. The former TV show host added that he feels unfairly treated and claims he has been discussed in the same breath as sex offenders Jimmy Savile and Huw Edwards which he says has taken a toll on him and his family. He told The Sun that he understood some of his actions may have offended people and 'weren't socially acceptable' but denied being a 'wrong-un'. The 60-year-old stepped down from the hit BBC cooking show after complaints were made about his behaviour and following a report into his conduct, 45 of 83 complaints were upheld. Wallace also backed his former MasterChef co-host John Torode, claiming: 'He's not a racist' and said his biggest regret was ever venturing into TV work, adding his life was much better when he was a greengrocer. The ex Eat Well for Less? presenter said while he didn't deny being guilty of some of the claims - which included dropping his trousers in front of staff and using inappropriate innuendos - he believed things had been 'perceived incorrectly'. He said his actions were the result of learned behaviour and workplace culture, adding: 'In a room of 200 people, one person complained about my knob joke. It sounds a lot, but you have to consider that I don't work in an office.'


Daily Mail
6 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I paid £300 for the perfect wedding cake but still cry whenever I look at it - it ruined the most important day of my life
A 'shattered' bride has revealed her wedding day was 'ruined' after receiving her £300 cake. The British newlywed took to her TikTok account @brunarobertson to share snaps of the three-tier cake, which looked nothing like she had imagined. The woman revealed the cake was 'the most important part' of the big day and she felt devastated when it was delivered it in three pieces. The bride claimed the baker who dropped off the cake even told them to 'put it together' themselves, which added to the stress of the important day. She revealed her 'heart sunk' and she still cries looking at the cake in her wedding snaps. The video, which racked up over 56,000 views, was captioned: '£300 down the drain but I hope our photographer will make the cake look a little more decent in photos.' Writing over the snaps of the cake, the fuming bride added: 'Nothing can hurt me... I will never forget how my cake lady nearly ruined the most important day of my life, this cake cost me £300. She delivered it late and in three pieces and just told us to "put it together." 'This is how she delivered... I still cry looking at these pictures because I had an image of our cake and us cutting it, to me it was the most important part of the ceremony and she absolutely ruined it. 'When I got to the venue and I saw the cake, my heart literally sunk and I wanted to cry, it was too late to do anything about it as the guests were walking in - she really ruined the cake part. 'Every time I walked past that cake I felt rage and sadness, like that cake put me in a foul mood on my wedding day! She continued: 'The cake is not at all what I imagined, it was falling apart!' Luckily the bride's aunt did her best to assemble the cake and add some aesthetic decorations. The bride added: 'This woman is someone I will always carry in my heart, £300 down the drain & I was honestly shattered!' Many rushed to the comments to sympathise with the bride, with some offering support. One person wrote: 'Jesus Christ, I never ever would I allow a bride or family member to stack one of mine. So sorry.' The bride replied: 'My auntie is a cakebaker, she came from Scotland from the wedding, she tried her best to save the cake!' The woman revealed the cake was 'the most important part' of the big day and she felt devastated when it was delivered it in three pieces Many rushed to the comments to sympathise with the bride, with many offering support Meanwhile others claimed that £300 for a three tier wedding cake was 'cheap' and should have been a red flag to the bride at that price Another added: 'Dispute the charge with your bank and send them evidence. You'll get your money back.' Someone else wrote: 'Oh my goodness this makes me so sad. I hope the rest of your day was beautiful. I'd be asking for a refund'. A fourth added: 'As a cake decorator myself, this is totally not acceptable. Did you ask for a refund? I would be taking this further if not. So sorry she ruined your big day.' Another said: 'This is absolutely ridiculous, as a professional baker who sets up and delivers tiered cakes I cannot believe this! I hope you received a full refund! Shocking!' Meanwhile others claimed that £300 for a three tier wedding cake was 'cheap' and should have been a red flag to the bride at that price. One person said: 'You got a bargain tbh! £300 for a 3 tiered wedding cake and you thought it would be amazing? You got what you paid for I'm afraid.' Another added: '£300 for a wedding cake should have set alarm bells ringing for you! Way way way too cheap for a professional Baker! When I had my business I charged a minimum of £650 for a small wedding cake.' Someone else added: '£350 for a huge cake delivered should definitely be a warming sign but I'm very sorry in this happened, what a mess.' She's not the only bride to have been left disappointed by the bake on their big day. Previously, a bride who entrusted her mother with the task of providing a wedding cake for her big day has left people online in shock after revealing the 'monstrosity'. The anonymous bride posted a picture of the cake she expected to receive followed by an image of the one she was presented with on global discussion forum Reddit. She explained: 'My mother volunteered to pay for our wedding cake. 'I tried to find something simple so it wouldn't cost much…. She swears to this day she didn't make it but I am not convinced'. While the photos were added to the 'baking' subreddit, which is often filled with 'cake fails', users admitted that nothing could have prepared them for this particular example. Titled 'Wedding cake expectation vs reality', the post first showed a picture of what the bride had hoped for, namely, a two-tier cake covered in white icing and topped with floral decorations in autumnal colours to match their October nuptials. The second picture, however, showed the cake she received, which bore very little resemblance to the original. The cake that the bride's mother gave her looked positively homemade - not only was it messy with frosting dripping down the sides, it also looked squashed.


Daily Mirror
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
'Love Island is modern dating on steroids and that's why it feels so raw'
As entertaining as it is, Love Island is starting to hold up an uncomfortable mirror to modern dating especially for young people. But is Love Island truly identical to dating in 2025? This season of Love Island UK has been one of the most toxic yet. Another day, another islander is humiliated on national TV. Harrison, 22, attracted attention on the ITV2 show for what he described as a "back-and-forth" between his connections with Toni, 24, and Lauren, 26. This included him sleeping with Lauren while estranged from Toni and then encouraging Toni to choose him at the next recoupling. After recoupling with Toni, footballer Harrison ended up continuing to pursue things with Lauren more recently. Lauren was dumped from the villa last week by the actions of a bombshell and Harrison later left to reunite with her. Amid his stint on Love Island, a spokesperson for Women's Aid issued a statement to the Tab, which included mention of women being "lied to, slut-shamed and manipulated, as well as laughed at behind their backs." But Harrison's behaviour isn't the only casual cruelty and humiliation we've seen unfold and passed off as 'banter.' For many fans, the show is a reflection of just how messy modern dating has become. At times, it feels less like entertainment and more like a horrible reality check. While some people can switch off, most can't look away. Author of Real Talk and psychotherapist Tasha Bailey spoke to The Mirror about how shows like this affect dating culture and why so many of us seem drawn to toxic patterns in the first place. Is Love Island a true reflection of dating in 2025? Tasha agrees the show reflects some realities of dating for young people but with key differences. 'This season has especially shown us the ways misogyny shows up in the dating world, with many of the male contestants encouraging each other to act disrespectfully towards women and that creating even more competition between the women themselves,' she said. 'That being said, we have to remember that Love Island doesn't fully reflect everyday life. It lacks diversity and, ultimately, it's made for entertainment purposes,' she added. How public humiliation affects confidence For many viewers, there's real worry about the islanders particularly those who are humiliated on screen and how they'll cope after leaving the villa. For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. 'Public humiliation in a relationship can trigger toxic shame - the internal belief that there's something inherently wrong with us that deserves such humiliation,' Tasha explained. 'Instead of saying, 'something is wrong here,' we tell ourselves, 'something is wrong with me.'' She said this shame‑fuelled mindset can crush self‑esteem, invalidate our emotions, and make us ignore red flags in others. 'We learn to depend on other people's opinions and distrust ourselves,' she added. Why are people drawn to toxic relationship patterns Tasha believes we're often pulled towards what feels familiar, even if it's harmful. 'Both in reality TV and real life, we tend to be drawn to relationships that already feel familiar. So even if it's toxic, we're more inclined to repeat patterns we experienced in past romantic or family relationships,' she said. 'The patterns we tolerate and are drawn to often reflect our self‑worth and what we think we deserve.' Love Island takeaways While it's easy to get caught up in the drama, Tasha suggests using shows like Love Island as an opportunity to reflect on what you don't want in a relationship. 'Reality TV lets us bear witness to cycles of toxic patterns and the toll they take on people,' she said. 'But I'd recommend balancing these shows with more wholesome and reflective depictions of romantic relationships to help your brain recognise the green flags, too.' For those who recognise themselves in some of the unhealthy behaviours on screen, she adds 'Understand the narratives you're still carrying about love and relationships, that might be standing in the way of immersing yourself in the next healthy one. "Show compassion to your own unhealthy patterns, they have a root that needs to be attended to.'