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One thing about Love Island: All Stars? The contestants all enter the villa with some very intense (and, often, very public) baggage. After all, they are all former Love Island-ers — in other words, we've already seen them form (and, sometimes, break off) relationships on national television.
The latest bombshell to enter the Love Island: All Stars villa is no different. Sammy Root, who recently entered the villa, returns to the show after winning alongside Jess Harding back in 2023. Needless to say, things didn't work out for the pair on the outside of the villa — after all, Sammy is back!
Before Sammy gets his second Love Island campaign underway, let's take a little stroll down memory lane and remind ourselves — what happened between Sammy and Jess from Love Island?
Sammy and Jess' journey on Love Island 2023
Sammy began his first Love Island journey as a bombshell, entering on day four. He began by taking three women on dates in the hideaway — including Jess. Jess later chose to recouple with Sammy. Although they went through some highs and lows (they were voted least compatible and Sammy coupled up with a girl from Casa Amor) they stayed strong until the end of the season when they were ultimately chosen as the winners.
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Why did Sammy and Jess break up?
Although Sammy and Jess left the villa as winners of Love Island, their relationship only lasted for a few months.
Their break up was announced by several media outlets. Then, Sammy posted an an Instagram Story, writing, “I thought I would come online to address today's news about me and Jess. Yes we had a private conversation regarding our relationship but this was left up in the air as Jess is still away and we haven't had a chance to speak in person. For me to then see today via the media that we had officially broken up came as a total shock.”
He went on: "We had the most incredible experience winning Love Island and I genuinely saw a future with Jess. I was committed and respectful of our relationship. Unfortunately things don't always work out the way you'd hoped. Despite how this has all played out today. I think Jess is an amazing woman and genuinely wish her all the best."
“I really don't want to go into detail by doing a big statement but we're just very different and behave differently and that's it,” Jess later said in a Q&A on Instagram.
Sammy gave a little more detail on the Staying Relevant podcast with Sam Thompson and Pete Wicks: “Long story short, we spoke and for like a week or something things were all over the place."
He went on to explain that the pair had several arguments over the phone but he always hoped they would work it out.
The pair are set to reunite in tonight's Love Island premiere.
Sammy was also linked to Elma Pazar, another Love Island alum, who is also on this season of Love Island: All Stars. The pair appeared on The Only Way Is Essex together last year.
"We were flirty and Sammy is always flirty," she said in an interview, when asked how she'd respond to seeing him in the villa. “If he was a bombshell, he’s still quite young. I know I always say that I’m not fussed about age to a certain extent, I can flirt with Sammy but I don’t think I can see anything with Sammy.”
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