LOVE ISLAND TONIGHT: FRIDAY 28th JULY 2023

JESS AND SAMMY ARE OFF TO THE BALLROOM

As the epic dates continue, Jess and Sammy are both eagerly anticipating what will be in store for their first official date as boyfriend and girlfriend.

Later that evening, the pair are whisked off to a romantic ballroom setting, surrounded by ballroom dancers and violinists.

Overwhelmed by their surprise surroundings, Jess says:

“It was so magical. I felt like a real life Princess. I feel on cloud nine.”

Sitting down for a romantic dinner together, Jess reflects on the pair’s rollercoaster ride in the Villa:

“We’ve been through such a rocky road, but do you know what I wouldn’t change it. If it was smooth sailing, it would be boring. We’ve got to look at the positive side, we’ve had all of our tests in here.”

Taking in their special moment, Sammy responds:

“It’s actually just perfect, I feel very very privileged to be sitting on a table opposite you. It’s the cherry on the top. I feel like we both very much deserve it.”

WHITNEY AND LOCHAN SET SAIL

Whitney and Lochan leave the Villa ready to set sail on a luxury yacht for their epic date, with Whitney declaring “this is my dream date.”

With the date underway, Whitney opens up on how her journey in the Villa has changed since Lochan’s arrival:

”I feel like you came in at a good time for me. You came in at a point where I was like ‘do you know what, there’s nothing here for me.’ You surprised me. That’s why it’s even better because I didn’t see it coming. You’re literally everything I would look for in a guy. I didn’t think it would look like you, but it does. I do like how you literally just let me be me and you don’t dim my light. You just want me to embrace me, and I really like that.”

With both looking towards the future, Lochan ponders on a life together away from the Villa: “I feel like I’ve had the smoothest journey here and I was going to say thank you, that is down to you. I’m excited, I’m happy, you are someone that I do genuinely see a future with. I do see you being my girlfriend. It is scary for me because I haven’t felt like this. I can actually say that I do see myself falling for you.”

With life outside the Villa on everyone’s minds, are Whitney and Lochan sailing towards a happy future?

ELLA B AND MITCH CLEAR THE AIR

After their spectacular fall out just hours after their epic date, Ella B prepares for the day ahead determined to put the situation behind her.

With Mitch eager to make things right between them, Ella B responds:

“Yeah, obviously we’re not just going to be OK straightaway, I don’t want to brush things under the carpet, because what you did say was hurtful.”

Mitch meanwhile tries to justify his actions:

“Yeah, I know. It’s just me tripping. It’s because I care a lot.”

Can the pair move forward and put the past behind them?

CAN THE BOYS DUPE THE GIRLS IN THEIR UNDERCOVER CHALLENGE?

With Whitney and Lochan away on their epic date, a text arrives for the remaining four boys:

“Boys, today you will all become undercover lovers. Each of you must complete an individual undercover assignment involving the girls. Then you must all work together to complete one final group assignment. If you all complete your assignments without being found out you will win a prize.”

Their four instructed dares are as follows:

Make a weird smoothie and convince all the girls of its health benefits and make them drink it.

Make up new words and drop them into the conversation. When the girls ask what does that mean, you must give them a made up explanation.

Get one of the girls to style your hair and then tell another girl you don’t like the style and then ask her to re-do it.

Get a girl, not your partner, to massage your feet for at least 30 seconds

Will the girls be able to spot that the boys are up to no good?

COMPATIBILITY VOTE RESULTS LOOM…

As they prepare for the results of their compatibility votes, all of the Islanders are anxious about what lies ahead.

In a conversation with Ty and Ella, Mitch and Ella B explain their own rationale behind how they voted.

Mitch admits: “You know what it is, the four couples that are in front of us are all in great positions. I had to go off fights, off arguments, off compatibility, working on the outside, time. We brought in so many factors.”

Ella B continues: “I feel like every single person genuinely likes their couple and I feel like they are into them. We genuinely were like ‘who’s going to work on the outside and who’s not?’ Realistically. It wasn’t favouritism, who we like in the Villa. We just literally said let’s be honest.”

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 on ITVX.