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Who is Simba Kudyiwa? Meet Love Island 2026 contestant and rehab assistant

Bombshell alert!

Simba sat forward looking over at someone.

ITV/Lifted Entertainment

Published: Friday, 3 July 2026 at 10:40 am

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Oh Simba! As the dramatic Casa Amor recoupling continued last night, Simba faced the music as he returned with Mara, who he chose to recouple with.

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When asked by host Maya Jama how he felt to see his former partner Angelista standing alone, he replied: "Obviously it’s not nice to see."

He continued: "I would be doing myself a disservice if I wasn’t true to myself and open myself up to potential connections."

Throughout the night, Simba attempted to talk to Angelista, even going as far to tell her that if she left the villa he would leave with her...

Could this be the end of the road for Simba and Angelista?

As we await the next instalment of Love Island, read on for everything you need to know about 2026 contestant Simba Kudyiwa.

Simba Kudyiwa - key facts

Simba wearing a black top sat next to someone mid conversation.

Simba. ITV

Age: 24

Job: Neurological rehabilitation assistant

From: Enfield

Instagram: @simbakudyiwa

Who is Simba Kudyiwa?

Simba Kudyiwa is a neurological rehabilitation assistant from Enfield, who is on the look out for love while in the villa. Having been single for four years, he is now ready to settle down and find someone.

While not looking for any drama in the villa, he believes that "you've got to be open to the drama if you’re looking for love, so a bit of both for sure".

He admits his love life has been a bit of a "shambles" from situationships to talking stages, but he is a big believe "in everything happens for a reason".

He added: "The same way hopefully England wins the World Cup this summer, I’m hopefully going to meet the love of my life in the Villa and take home a trophy!"

How old is Simba Kudyiwa?

Simba Kudyiwa is 24 years old.

Is Simba from Love Island 2026 on Instagram?

Simba wearing a pink jacket and white t-shirt, smirking as he looks across from him.

Simba. ITV

He is and can be followed on Instagram via the handle @simbakudyiwa.

He has a little over 9,000 followers at the time of reporting and only three posts.

What is Simba's 'type on paper'?

For Simba, his type is "petite, natural features and somebody that looks after themselves".

He added: "Personality wise, I’d like someone that doesn’t take themselves too seriously and has some type of ambition."

Read more on the Love Island 2026 cast:

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

Add Love Island to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

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Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Katelyn Mensah, smiling against a lime green background.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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