The countdown is on, and in a matter of hours there’s going to be a giant Love Island-shaped hole in our lives, for better or worse.
As swathes of the population begin to wonder what they’re going to do with their evenings after tonight’s Love Island final, their minds will inevitably drift back over the series as they ponder which Islander tickled their fancy the most.
A poll of fans of the TV show has now revealed which contestants were the ‘most fancied’ from this year’s series.
It also emerged Love Island is influencing the UK’s dating scene as British singletons are getting ideas from the hit reality TV show, according to the survey of 2,500 18 to 45-year-old users of dating app Plenty of Fish.
Dubbed ‘The Love Island Effect’, the study found a third of avid viewers feel they’ve picked up good dating tips from the show.
Shannon Smith, spokesperson for Plenty of Fish, said:
We’re very proud of the fact that singles have more conversations on POF than any other dating offering, with 2.5 million happening every day.
But now we can’t help but wonder how many are about Casa Amour, water bottles or new Jack.
But back to the top spots, Megan Barton-Hanson was voted the ‘most-fancied’ girl with 21 per cent of the vote, while Jack Fowler was the ‘most-fancied’ boy with 23 per cent.
The second most-fancied male from 2018’s crop of Love Island contestants was awkward A&E doctor Alex George, followed by Sam Bird, Charlie Brake and Josh Denzel.
However, as fans will know, after recent dumpings and re-couplings, Alex and Josh are the only ones out of the top five most-fancied left ahead of tonight’s finale.
Unlucky-in-love Alexandra Cane was the second most-fancied female in the house, followed by 29-year-old Laura Anderson.
In fourth place was Dani Dyer, with ‘loyal’ Georgia Steel placed in fifth.
I think if you did a new poll, though, Danny Dyer (Dani’s dad, that is) would definitely make it in the top five after his appearance on last night’s episode, July 29.
Although he only appeared on screen via video call, he nonetheless stole the show. The Eastenders actor could barely hold his tears back as he finally got to talk to his daughter – who he hasn’t had a chance to speak to since entering the villa in Majorca.
The research also revealed being a viewer of the show can even help Brits land a date, as Love Island fans are 37 per cent more likely to find a match on Plenty of Fish, according to the data.
And chatting about the show has become a go-to tactic for British daters, with 45 per cent of fans admitting they’ve discussed the show while on a date.
Many have even used Love Island lingo to turn a partner’s head, with ‘I’d be lying if I said I didn’t fancy you…’ the number one catchphrase for more than a quarter of those polled.
London was also revealed as the city in the UK with the most Love Island fans, followed by Manchester and Liverpool.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via stories@unilad.co.uk
Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.