Love Island: which of the previous contestants on the ITV2 dating show were from Newcastle?

Love Island is soon set to start on ITV2 with fans introduced to not just a lavish, newly refurbished South African Villa, but also a brand new host.

The upcoming series will be the return of the winter edition of the show, which in recent years has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

New Love Island host, Maya Jama, 28, has arrived in South Africa and is preparing to join a new group of singletons as they take on weekly challenges and make their re-coupling choices.

As a fresh bunch of singles from across the UK have been announced as contestants, we take a look back at those from Newcastle who previously entered the Love Island villa:

Chris Williamson (Series one)

Chris Williamson, now 35, was a model and club promoter when he entered the villa in Santanyí, Majorca in series one - back in 2015. He now hosts a successful podcast, called Modern Wisdom.

He entered the villa on day one, and coupled up with Danielle Pyne, then later coupled up with Lauren Richardson and finally Zoe Basia Brown, before being dumped on day 19.

Sophie Gradon (Series two)

Sophie Gradon, then 30, was a model and marketing manager before she joined the starting line–up for the second series of Love Island.

She was initially coupled up with Tom Powell for most of the series, before coupling up with Katie Salmon, forming Love Island’s first same-sex pairing. Sophie voluntarily walked out of the villa on day 39.

In 2018, Sophie committed suicide, aged 32, and her death sparked a response from many who believed it was a result of poor mental health support for contestants post-filming.

Alex Beattie (Series three)

Alex Beattie, now 28, was a personal trainer when he joined the third series of Love Island, he appeared alongside the likes of Olivia Attwood, Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies.

He entered the villa on Day 26, and coupled up with Montana Brown for the duration of the show. Just days before the final, the other couples decided that Montana and Alex’s time was up - with the public agreeing that they needed to leave the villa.

Ellie Brown (Series four)

Ellie Brown, now 24, was a Business Development Manager before joining the fourth series of Love Island.

She joined the other islanders on day 15, and chose to couple up with doctor Alex George, before coupling up with Charlie Brake. They were dumped from the villa on day 43, and their relationship lasted two months after leaving the show.

Adam Collard (Series four & eight)

Adam Collard, now 27, was a personal trainer before he entered the Majorca villa for the fourth series of Love Island.

He coupled up with new islander, Zara McDermott when she arrived in the villa on day 15. After they grew close, Zara was dumped from the villa and Adam was forced to re-couple with Darylle Sargeant.

Adam dumped Darylle as soon as he could, as he made it clear that he had feelings for Zara. Upon leaving the villa, Adam and Zara picked up where they left off and were together for eight months, before calling it quits.

He returned in the eighth series, and coupled up with Paige Thorne, but they were eventually dumped just before the final. Their relationship lasted two months after leaving the show.

Amber Gill (Series five)

Amber Gill, now 25, was a beauty therapist when she joined the fifth series of Love Island, in which she appeared alongside the likes of Molly-Mae Hague, Tommy Fury and Maura Higgins.

She first stepped into the villa on day one, and throughout the series, coupled up with Callum Macleod, Anton Danyluk, Michael Griffiths and Ovie Soko.

However, it was with rugby union player Greg O’Shea, who entered on day 44, that she went on to win the series with. Rumours circulated that Greg split up with Amber over the phone a few weeks after the show. However, Amber later revealed that they had an unaired bust-up before the finale, and actually split up then.

Harley Brash (Series five)

Harley Brash, now 24, was working as an estate agent before she entered the Love Island villa - she joined Amber Gill in the fifth series of the show.

After joining the villa on day 44, she immediately went on a date with co-star Ovie Soko, but ended up coupling up with Chris Taylor. They were dumped from the villa after eight days, and broke up just two weeks later.

Rebecca Gormley (Series six)  

Rebecca Gormley, now 24, was a model when she entered the Cape Town villa, for the first winter edition of Love Island - back in 2020.

She joined the villa on day nine, and throughout the series, coupled up with Luke Trotman, Wallace Wilson and Jordan Waobikeze. Shortly after the show it was revealed that she was dating co-star Biggs Chris, they were together for one year before calling it quits.

Jazmine Nichol (Series eight) 

Jazmine Nichol, now 21, was a night-club manager when she joined the eighth series of ITV2’s Love Island.

Jazmine initially stepped into the villa on day 27, as part of Casa Amor, but after failing to couple up, she was dumped just four days later.