Public will choose couples in first Love Island vote, Maya Jama reveals

Love Island fans will be given the chance to vote for which contestants will be paired up before the new summer series launches.

Viewers will be given the power to choose who is coupled up with who in the first episode.

Host Maya Jama told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “A very big surprise – the public has all the power. So for the first episode, you guys are going to decide who couples up, you vote and we listen.”

She added: “A big decision to make, as soon as you see them.”

In previous series the contestants have made their own decisions on who to couple up with, but the public were given the power to decide for the first time last year.

Jama said: “You’ll see them, they get announced this morning.

“So you can kind of make your notes if you want. start jotting down who you think should be together. And when it starts, off you go.”

The contestants are being unveiled on the Love Island Twitter account on Monday, with beautician Ruchee, 24, from Sutton, as the first islander to be revealed.

The post claims she will bring “glam and big energy to the Villa”.

On why she is going on Love Island, she said: “I’m single and looking for love, and it’s the perfect opportunity for me to find someone.

“I’m a relationship kind of girl, but so far it’s not worked out for me. So I’m looking forward to hopefully finding the right person in the Villa.”

She added: “I’m really caring, when I’m with someone I’m all about them. I’m also really loyal and love doing nice things for the people that are special to me.

“My love language is gift giving, so I’m a real giver when it comes to relationships.”

More contestants will be revealed throughout the day.

It will be the first summer series Jama will host, after making her debut during the winter series in South Africa earlier this year, replacing former presenter Laura Whitmore.

Jama hailed the programme as “the original reality show”, adding: “It was unheard of back in the day that you could sit and watch couples meet and unfold and then all the drama that comes with it and the breakups and the makeups.

“I think us as humans, we watch and comment on people’s relationships, maybe in a restaurant or something and be like, ‘they look cute’ and I wonder if they’re going to last, but to actually see it unfold over the space of a few months – it’s just great television I think.

Asked what advice she would give to contestants, she said: “I would tell them just have fun. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. You’re never going to be in this position again, unless maybe you get brought back later years.

“But enjoy it and just fall in love if you can, be open to all the opportunities.”

Voting opens on Thursday morning at 8am on the Love Island app and closes on Friday at 9pm.

Love Island returns to ITV2 and ITVX on June 5.