Julia Majchrzak and Lorenzo Alessi have been named the winners of Love Island UK 2026, securing the public vote and taking home the show's £50,000 prize. The couple emerged victorious ahead of runners-up Jasmine Muller and Kavan Murphy, while Angelista Gunda and Simba Kudyiwa finished in third place after a dramatic season filled with unexpected twists and emotional moments.

Reacting to the result, an emotional Julia thanked viewers for their support and admitted she never expected to reach the final after entering the competition through Casa Amor. "I just didn't think coming into Casa [Amor] I'd be stood here," she said.

When asked by host Maya Jama how they planned to use the prize money, Julia revealed that one of her biggest hopes after leaving the villa was for Lorenzo to move in with her. Lorenzo appeared overwhelmed by the victory and struggled to find words in the moment.

Speaking before the result was announced, Lorenzo reflected on his connection with Julia, describing it as unlike any relationship he had experienced before. The 28-year-old businessman said he had "never met someone who feels so well matched to me."

Lorenzo, who joined the villa on the opening day of the series, explained that meeting Julia in Casa Amor felt as though he had "manifested" the relationship. Julia, 26, said there was an "instant spark" between them and described their romance as "seriously unserious."

According to ITV, the live final attracted an average audience of 1.1 million viewers across all platforms. While still drawing a sizeable audience, the figure was lower than last year's finale, which reportedly reached 1.3 million viewers.

Second-place finalists Jasmine Muller and Kavan Murphy also reflected on their journey during the live show. Jasmine revealed that Kavan's confidence and presence initially caught her attention, describing his "aura" as a major factor in their connection.

Kavan became one of the season's most talked-about contestants after viewers discovered he was the brother of fellow islander Aidan Murphy. The revelation sparked comparisons among fans to the Prime Video series The Summer I Turned Pretty, known for its storyline involving siblings and romantic relationships.

During the final, Kavan said he "couldn't be luckier" to have shared the experience with both his brother and Jasmine.

Third-place couple Angelista Gunda and Simba Kudyiwa also looked ahead to life outside the villa. Simba revealed that his first priority after leaving the show would be celebrating Angelista's 25th birthday, which falls shortly after the finale.

The 2026 season made Love Island history by featuring only three couples in the final. The reduced number followed a series of dramatic eliminations during the final weekend.

In one of the season's biggest twists, former contestants returned to the villa to decide which couple should be dumped before the final. Following the vote, Mica Harris and Samraj Toor received the most nominations and were immediately eliminated.

Before departing, they were given the power to choose another couple to leave the competition. Their decision resulted in Yasmin Hadlow and Tommy Stagg narrowly missing out on a place in the final.

Following the announcement, Tommy reassured Yasmin by telling her: "I've got you and that's all I care about."

Now in its 13th UK season, Love Island continued to surprise audiences with a series of twists over the past eight weeks. Producers introduced 32 islanders throughout the series and wasted no time shaking up the format.

At the start of the season, bombshell arrivals Yasmin Hadlow and George Knight were given the authority to remove original contestants Ellie Chadwick and Samraj Toor from the villa. However, viewers later discovered the pair had not actually been eliminated and were instead sent on dates with new arrivals.

The season also generated controversy involving contestant Priya Jaswal. Tensions arose after Priya responded to comments made by former islander Elicia Bailey, who had labelled her the "biggest game player" during an appearance on Love Island: Aftersun.

In response, Priya suggested Elicia should "go back" to her role at National Rail rather than commenting on the show. The remark drew criticism from fellow contestants and viewers.

Kavan defended rail workers during the discussion, stating there was "nothing wrong with working on the National Rail."

The debate soon attracted attention beyond the villa, with the RMT Union sharing the clip on social media alongside footage of rail employees at work. The post concluded with the message: "Rail workers and proud."

Priya later issued a public apology on Aftersun, describing her remarks as "completely out of line" and "catty." She explained that emotions had been running high after spending several weeks in the villa.

During the live finale, Priya personally apologised to Elicia and stressed that her comments were "not meant to be a job-shaming comment."