TV & Showbiz

Love Island 2023 lineup announced – including Michelle Keegan’s ‘body double’, and a Manc PE teacher

The smash-hit ITV reality is show is back for its 9th series.

Emily Sergeant - 9th January 2023

Michelle Keegan‘s ‘body double’, and a PE teacher and part-time rugby player from Manchester, are just two of the contestants heading into the Love Island villa.

Yes, whether you can believe it or not, it’s that time again.

Just less than six months after Davide and Ekin-Su stole the nation’s hearts, smash-hit reality competition show Love Island is set to return to screens for its 9th series, and it’s second Winter edition, and ITV has today revealed the lineup of hopeful singletons who will be making the trip to South Africa in the look for love.

The show is returning for the first of two series this year on Monday 19 January.

With brand-new host Maya Jama taking over presenting duties, ITV says contestants will be guided through the “twists and turns of coupling up” in a jaw-dropping villa.

Love Island is back for its 9th series on Monday 19 January on ITV2 / Credit: ITV

Greater Manchester and the North West has always been well represented on Love Island over the years, and this series looks set to be no different – with 24-year-old Kai Fagan from Manchester revealed as one of the lads heading into the villa.

Claiming to have three different degrees from three different universities, Kai works as a PE and Science teacher, but also plays semi-professional rugby for Burnage RFC.

He describes himself as “chilled, caring, and very impulsive”.

“I’m single by choice,” Kai explained in his ITV Love Island cast announcement bio, “I’m looking for the right girl. I feel like I have quite high expectations. I don’t feel I should commit to someone unless I’m absolutely buzzing over them, because it’s not fair on them.”

Teacher Kai is ready to learn a thing or two about love 💞 #LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/Tu26tSW4Uz
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) January 9, 2023

While Kai may be the only person actually from Manchester on the lineup so far, the region is somewhat also represented by the fact that another one of the contestants is 27-year-old ring girl and actress Olivia Hawkins – who says one of her claims to fame is the fact she has acted as the body double for Mancunian actress Michelle Keegan.

“I did a film with Jason Statham and had a nice 10-minute convo about life,” Olivia said.

“I’ve been a ring girl for KSI, I played a waitress in James Bond with Daniel Craig, and I’ve also been a body double for Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson.”