Love Island 2023 winners Sammy Root and Jess Harding return to UK

By Mike Bedigan, PA Los Angeles Correspondent

Love Island winners Sammy Root and Jess Harding have arrived back in the UK after their successful stint on the ITV reality dating show.

The couple were pictured kissing at London Stansted airport, alongside some of their fellow finalists.

Sammy and Jess were crowned champions of the 2023 series during Monday’s final episode, hosted by Maya Jama.

Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki were runners-up, with Ella Thomas and Tyrique Hyde third and Zachariah Noble and Molly Marsh fourth.

Tyrique, Ella, Zachariah and Molly were also welcomed home at Stansted.

Sammy and Jess said being on Love Island had allowed them to mature, with Sammy saying it had “made me a man”.

They met when Sammy arrived at the villa as a “bombshell” later entrant and chose to take Jess for a date in a hot tub.

Their relationship faced some bumps and the pair often found themselves coupled with other islanders.

But following the final episode, figures posted on Twitter showed they had won 34.57 per cent of the public vote.

Love Island: The Reunion will air on Sunday, August 6th at 9pm on Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Player.