LOVE Island is back next week, and odds are whichever couple wins will split the £50,000 prize money.
There have been seven winning pairs so far, and despite that fact one half is always offered the chance to steal the pot for themselves, no one has – yet.
So what have the 14 Love Island stars done with their £25,000 cash (and who regrets not hogging the lot?).
From flash holidays and designer bags to weddings and “hundreds of trainers”, we reveal what the winners splurged on.
Jessica Hayes and Max Morley (2015)
Jessica and Max were crowned the first ever winners of the new Love Island format in 2015, and split the £50,000 prize.
But less than 24 hours later, Jess admitted they weren’t “madly in love” but “have a laugh together”.
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Two months later, the couple – who lived in different parts of the country – split, and the following year Jess was pretty scathing about her ex.
She told the Daily Star: “You think you fancy someone but with Max, looking back at it now, it makes me cringe.
“I would never, ever go near him again.”
And she also admitted she wishes she’d kept the whole £50,000 to herself.
“Don’t fall in love and just take the fifty grand,” she advised future contestants.
Neither disclosed what they spent their winnings on, but Jess – now mum to son Presley, nearly three, who she shares with ex Dan Lawry – recently had a breast enlargement.
Meanwhile, Max – who became a dad to son Brooklyn six months ago – has been busy renovating his home.
Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey (2016)
Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey coupled up on the very first day of the second series of Love Island and went on to win.
They are now married with two children – Freddie, four, and Delilah, who turns two in July – suggesting they don’t regret splitting the cash!
Cara even told fans after they won: “We will not let you down. We’re going to get married and we’re going to have babies.”
Both said they planned to use the money to help their parents.
“I can’t wait to get home and now I can buy my mum a house and give her the deposit for it,” Cara said.
Nathan added he’d be treating his dad to a “golfing trip”.
Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies (2017)
It seemed inevitable that lovable Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies would win and split the prize money equally when crowned the winners in 2017.
But while they seemed a perfect match in the villa, the pocket-sized couple split up just six months later – though not before they managed to fit in time for a spending spree with their winnings.
Speaking to The Celeb Report, Amber said: “I bought myself a Chanel bag. I thought to myself, ‘well I did win the show’ so I treated myself to a celebratory Chanel bag. Just one handbag isn’t going to hurt is it?
“Kem has bought hundreds of trainers, trainers and trainers and trainers. I leave that to him. He has spoiled me rotten too though. I feel so lucky.”
Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer (2018)
Jack Fincham and Dani Dyer were another couple from Love Island who looked like they’d go the distance.
They moved into a flat together after winning the £50,000, but things went downhill.
Both were sensible with their cash; Dani – now mum to one-year-old Santiago – put hers into savings to get a mortgage.
She added that she saved “most of it” but “a lot of it goes on your bills and stuff”.
Jack has been more private about what he spent his money on.
However, the former stationery salesman – now dad to two-year-old Blossom – has turned his back on the celebrity lifestyle and is working on a building site.
Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea (2019)
Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea were shock winners of Love Island in 2019 – the same series as Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury.
They split the money, but sadly they split less than two months after.
Irish rugby player Greg said he decided to save his prize money like a “boring old fart”.
He explained: “I just saved it. I actually kept it in an English bank account and waited for the conversion rate to improve before bringing it across.”
Amber did the same, telling Closer: “I’ll probably treat myself a little bit, but I’m going to invest and be careful with it.”
The beautician went on to secure a seven-figure deal with clothing brand Misspap, while Greg represented Ireland in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Paige Turley and Finley Tapp (2020)
Paige Turley and Finley Tapp won the first ever winter series of Love Island in 2020 – and are still together.
However, due to the coronavirus lockdown hitting pretty much as soon as they came out of the villa, they weren’t able to spend their £50,000 prize money straight away.
Finley told Metro: “We haven’t had the chance to really spend any of it. Just cooking bits, food… That’s about it, really.
“We haven’t had a chance to do much with it. We’ve got an Xbox that’s keeping us entertained. A camera for some photos but that’s as exciting as it gets.
“I certainly do want to buy a few bits. That’s the thing, as well… You’re looking at some clothes online and you’re thinking, ‘That looks really nice’, but you think, ‘I can’t spend my money on that, where would I wear it? Just in the back garden?'”
The couple have made up for it since, enjoying holidays to Barcelona and Florida.
Millie Court and Liam Reardon (2021)
Millie Court and Liam Reardon won Love Island last year, and are still together – despite rumours circulating that they had split.
They both went on a huge shopping spree soon after divvying up their £50,000 prize money – and showed of a £1,500 haul of luxury items.
Millie revealed she splashed out on a designer Jacquemus Le Chiquito moyen bag worth £620, as well as a pair of trainers, which cost £280.
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Meanwhile Liam bought a new hiking wardrobe including trousers, jumpers and shirts from Berghaus.
The couple have also bought a £1milion three-storey apartment in an Elizabethan mansion conversion in Essex – likely part-funded by Millie’s huge deal with ASOS.
