Love Island stars Dami Hope and Lochan Nowacki have surprised fans with a fresh collaboration that blends fashion and food. The duo recently linked up for a light-hearted exchange: Dami helped Lochan elevate his style game, while Lochan returned the favour by cooking up a plate of Jollof and Suya arancini balls. Sharing the moment on Instagram, Lochan wrote: “I made a deal with the drippiest guy I know @damihope to teach me how to dress and in return I fed him Jollof & Suya Arancini Balls.”

While the collab seemed playful on the surface, followers — particularly The Shade Borough Residents  — had mixed reactions.

One resident commented:
“I am afraid of people like Lochan. They act innocent but are very calculative. Because why are you collaborating with Dami in this period. He is very strategic. It's giving a have a black girlfriend, cook Nigeria food and collaborate with black creators therefore I am not a racist.”

Another added: “LOOOOOL this is pure mind games … grab a buzzball and wait for the comments.” A third chimed in, while a fourth wrote: “Whitney and Indiyah are fighting. Dami and Lochan are collabing. Come on you boyz.”

The timing of the collaboration hasn’t gone unnoticed, especially given the recent headlines surrounding the group.

Lochan and Whitney Adebayo were once firm fan favourites after meeting on Love Island in 2023. However, in April 2025 — just under two years later — the pair announced their split.

Whitney shared at the time on her Instagram stories: “Hey guys, unfortunately mine and Lochan's relationship has come to an end. Thank you for all the love and support that you've shown us through our journey, we're forever grateful.” Lochan posted the same statement.

Later, Whitney hinted on her podcast that the breakup stemmed from incompatibility, saying: “Some people don’t wanna compromise.” She also recalled a moment where her former partner told her she had changed into the woman they once envisioned — but he was no longer willing to continue the journey.

Things escalated months later when Whitney posted a TikTok saying she had “fallen in love with the skin he used to call dirty,” sparking speculation online. Lochan strongly denied the implication, explaining the comment had been taken out of context from a minor disagreement during their relationship.

At the same time, tensions have also been brewing between Whitney and Indiyah Polack following the Love Island: All Stars 2026 final.

During a podcast interview, Indiyah — who co-hosts the show — questioned Whitney about recent drama. The conversation turned awkward when Whitney pushed back, questioning whether the situations discussed were truly “drama” or simply “advice.”

Despite Yamen Sanders attempting to smooth things over by framing Whitney as someone trying to guide her friends, fans were divided. One viewer commented: “Whitney’s tone to Indiyah doing her job…” — highlighting the tension that many picked up on.

Adding further context, Dami and Indiyah — once one of the franchise’s strongest couples — also recently parted ways.

Dami confirmed the split publicly during a conversation with Paul C Brunson on the We Need To Talk podcast. The pair, who placed third on Love Island’s eighth series, had celebrated three years together before reports emerged that Indiyah had been unfaithful with her Inside co-star Marlon Garcia.