Love Island fans have been heaping praise on “selfless” winners Kai and Sanam after the couple revealed what they plan to spend part of their £50,000 prize money on.
In case you missed it, nearly two months after the smash-hit ITV reality competition show returned to our screens for its ninth series and it’s second Winter edition, and a whole new lineup of hopeful singletons made the trip to South Africa in the look for love, the winners of Love Island 2023 were announced live on Monday night.
Host Maya Jama revealed that fan-favourite couple Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan had clinched the coveted win.
The 24-year-old PE and Science teacher from Manchester, and the 24-year-old Social Worker from Bedford, beat runners-up Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins to take home the £50,000 prize money.
Tom Clare and Samie Elishi came in third, while Tanya Manhenga and Shaq Muhammad took fourth.
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The couple certainly captured the hearts of Love Island fans after their romance first blossomed in Casa Amor when Sanam entered as a ‘bombshell’, and survived all other challenges thrown at it throughout the series.
ITV revealed yesterday that Kai and Sanam walked away with a huge 44% of the public final vote, compared to Lana and Ron’s second place of 30%.
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Kai and Sanam are the first winners in the show’s history to have coupled-up in Casa Amor.
Kai – who also played semi-professional rugby for Burnage RFC alongside his teaching career – told presenter Maya Jama that Sanam had “blown me away straight away” after her introduction on the show, while Sanam admitted that “it was always Kai”.
“I always said he was my number one and that, of course he is a very attractive guy, but apart from the looks, like I was just like… he’s an amazing guy, everything about him,” she added.
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Now, the couple have spoken out for the first time since leaving the villa to dish on how they plan to spend their £50,000 winnings.
While they said that jetting off on a couple’s holiday is definitely on the cards as soon as they get the chance to, they also explained how they plan to stay true to and honour their roots as a teacher and social worker by using part of the prize money to “help kids” – which has seen fans praise them for their “selfless” response.
In their first interview since being crowned Love Island 2023 winners, Kai and Sanam admitted that they know they have to be “sensible” with their prize money.
Kai explained: “Before I came in here, I wanted to start up a business and help kids get into physical activity. I don’t want to turn my back on teaching, working with young kids and think I will use some of that to do that.
“I am not sure yet in what capacity.”
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“That’s similar to me,” Sanam added, “I came from social work – working with children who have been adopted. I know that sometimes in my area there can be limited services, so for me I want to be able to do something to aid and support them, being an advocate for them.”
Kai added: “Both our careers were pretty similar when we came in here, and the conversations we had and the reasons why we were doing them were very similar.”
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
A new José Mourinho documentary is coming to Netflix — and it’s set to cover his time at Man United
Danny Jones
A new documentary series focusing on the life and career of legendary football manager José Mourinho is coming to Netflix and it’s set to include everything from his early years, glory days at Porto, Inter and Chelsea, as well as his turbulent time at Manchester United.
As with almost anything José-related, we can guarantee you this is going to be absolute popcorn viewing from start to finish.
While rumours of the Mourinho documentary had been floating around on social media in recent weeks — especially after he basically let the cat out of the bag in an interview before he was sacked from his most recent job as Roma manager — the series was officially announced on Thursday, 14 March.
Confirming the football legend’s long overdue film will be spread across multiple episodes, the streaming giant detailed that the series will be arriving sometime next year and will feature exclusive interviews with “players and peers” as well as the man himself.
MOURINHO
Introducing Mourinho, a new documentary series focusing on one of the most successful managers of all time! Featuring exclusive interviews with the Special One himself, as well as players and peers spanning his long and illustrious career. Coming 2025. #NextOnNetflixpic.twitter.com/TTAuG9k9Af
Love or loathe him, the man who famously labelled himself ‘The Special One’ when he arrived here in England has been one of the most iconic names not only in world football but one of the biggest personalities in global sport full stop for the past two decades.
Having already featured in Tottenham Hotspurs’ All or Nothing series and never disappointing when it came to on-screen value, we have no shame in admitting we’re very excited to see the Portuguese front and centre in the spotlight he’s never shied away from.
Undoubtedly one of the most anticipated aspects of the upcoming series will be Mourinho’s time as the Man United boss, having spent a fairly tetchy two-year tenure at Old Trafford.
From the pretty public spat with Paul Pogba and those pictures of the pair in training, to winning three trophies in his first year and that now heavily memed ‘football heritage’ speech and plenty more, he really did have his moments here in Manchester. Here are just a few of them.
Beyond just his time in 0161, it goes without saying that there’s plenty more to the story behind one of the most decorated winners in the beautiful game — 26 trophies to be exact.
Although there is no firm release date for the Mourinho documentary yet, nor is there a trailer at this early stage, it has been revealed that the series is being produced by John Battsek, who helped put together Netflix’s previous hit sporting docuseries on David Beckham.
Featured Images — Netflix/Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)
TV & Showbiz
Kate Abdo gives a masterclass in comebacks after Jamie Carragher’s awkward relationship comments
Danny Jones
Sports presenter Kate Abdo gave her fellow broadcasters and viewers watching at home an absolute masterclass in comebacks on CBS Sports last night as she responded to Jamie Carragher’s recent on-air comments about her relationshipwith a wink and a nod.
No more, no less and absolutely perfect from start to finish.
For those unaware of the minor controversy, Carragher came under fire for making a jokey but undeniably awkward remark suggesting that the Manchester-born journalist and TV personality Abdo wasn’t “loyal” to her partner, Malik Scott.
Here’s how it went down during their Champions League coverage earlier this week.
Not only did the joke go down like a lead balloon but as many online were saying at the time, as well simply going ‘too far’ — with many asking, “What was he thinking?” and some even going so far as to label him a “chauvinist tw*t” — it was also seen as private and therefore inappropriate to say publicly.
However, although clearly uncomfortable for a brief moment following the controversial quip, rather than letting the small spit spiral out of control and even deeming Carra’s attempt to get a laugh worthy of calling her loyalty into question, she instead dished a calm, composed and comedic comeback.
We couldn’t have summed up her response any better than this comment did: “Kate Abdo is absolutely class man, she handled this whole thing so well. In today’s world, 99% of people would’ve played the ‘cancel’ card and gotten Carragher off the show. Others should aspire to act like her in such scenarios.”
Here’s how chose to approach the whole thing — in style:
As you can see, there are still plenty of people unhappy with the former Liverpool and England defender turned pundit but it’s clear that ‘r Kate has already buried the hatchet, and has let him off the hook as the “annoying family member will still love and accept”.
Moving swiftly on and getting back to what the quartet do best: Abdo being excellent at her job, flattering Thierry Henry, winding up Carragher and putting the mick in Micah Richards, as he still ended up being the final butt of the joke — but as she put it herself, he’s “impossible not to love”.
You can always trust us Mancs to be sarky but shrewd — well played, Kate.