The journey through Love Island UK Series 11 has been one of the best in years; full of arguments and unexpected dumpings, plus TOWIE royalty, Joey Essex. With the villa’s gates now closed and the sun setting on another season, the spotlight shifts to the outside world. Not only are we wondering what couples will last, but we all want to see who is savvy enough to take advantage of their new following and make it as a full-time influencer or even TV personality.
Of course, long gone are the days of every popular contestant reaching one million followers whilst they were away, and transcending into other TV opportunities isn’t as likely as it used to be – but the future can still be lucrative for these new influencers, and the brands that choose to align with these new famous faces.
There are definitely other contestants who deserve a mention (Ronnie and Harriet, sweet man Sean and power couple Ciaran and Nicole!) and we could talk about this all day but here is our list of the top contestants we predict you should watch closely.
Joey Essex and Jessy Potts
Joey Essex definitely had a head start over the others, having been on our screens for over a decade, appearing in almost every reality show known to man (Splash!, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, The Jump, Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity Master Chef, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Dancing On Ice…to name a few!). Reception to Joey appearing on Love Island hasn’t been overall positive, and he has received plenty of criticism from viewers, but nothing will stop Mr Essex from appearing on our screens! He’s already booked in for club appearances, which are rumoured to earn him £25,000 alone, and he’s set to be featured in an episode of the very popular Netflix show, Selling Sunset. His cousins, Demi, Chloe and Frankie Sims all recently moved to LA and scored themselves a Netflix series and it looks like Joey wants to make it stateside too. He already has a net worth of £8 million and his new romance with Love Island partner Jessy is likely to be the most watched of this year.
Jessy’s following has grown to over 150k on Instagram alone since leaving the villa and whether she stays with Joey or not, she’s shown real potential in the beauty and fashion space. She’s likely to be inundated with requests from makeup and clothing collaborations. She’s also shown her humorous side on TikTok, which now has over 35k followers, often using trending sounds that have attracted more than 1 million views. This content is so important when growing a following and helps her connect with her new audience, showcasing her relatability. Subtle TikTok ads that incorporate lifestyle content or trending sounds are our favourite type of collaborations and are ever growing in popularity on TikTok. We would also love to see a brand get creative and utilise her stilt walking skills during the Love Island Talent Show!
Grace Jackson
She walked in the villa as Joey Essex’s ex flame but left with Reuben Collins in a shock dumping, narrowly missing out on the final, despite being an audience favourite. Grace was already an influencer and model, having appeared in Fenty Beauty campaigns. Before heading into the villa she had under 80k followers on Instagram, she now has more than 400k! An incredible uplift that is sure to help her monetise her content further. Her Instagram account already showcases her fashion sense and we can only imagine how many of the online fashion retailers are trying to collaborate exclusively with Grace. Every year Pretty Little Thing collaborates with at least one islander to create a collection, could it be Grace this year? She’s got stiff competition with Mimi and Uma but certainly a strong contender.
Mimi Itafara and Josh Oyinsani
Mental Health Nurse Mimi is one of the more reserved islanders, but she’s still remained very popular amongst the Love Island viewers, going on to take the crown alongside Josh Oyinsan! Fashion and beauty are the most obvious routes for ex-islanders but having a USP like Mimi’s medical background is likely to be very useful. We’ve seen success from other medical professionals like Dr Alex, who often appears on TV and raises awareness of many important issues. Her following has seen one of the biggest uplifts and she now boasts well over 300k followers on Instagram alone. Much like Grace, she’s sure to be flooded with fashion collaborations, plus the earning potential of her and partner Josh Oyinsan could be huge if utilised correctly. Josh’s following the day before the final was around 50k, since the final has aired he’s nearly at 100k Instagram followers! He’s certainly as fashionable as his female counterpart, and he’s been very vocal in the villa about Joey Essex – we look forward to the many podcast appearances that are sure to land on our TikTok FYPs!
Uma Jammeh
Just because you leave the villa long before the final, doesn’t mean you can’t make it big time! Never forget season 5’s Amy Hart who left after 32 days but is now the presenter of the official Love Island podcast. Uma’s follower count exceeds the majority of her fellow contestants, with more than 650k Instagram followers. The model and night club host was very popular amongst the public during her time in villa and since leaving she’s already made several appearances with partner Will Anderson. She’s wasted no time in securing collaborations with Pretty Little Thing and White Fox Boutique, and we predict this will only continue.
As fans eagerly watch their post-show journeys, one thing is certain: the end of Love Island is just the beginning for these finalists. Whether they become fashion icons, media personalities, entrepreneurs, or advocates, their futures are incredibly promising.