Why Love Island's Whitney and Lochan coming second isn't a bad thing
Whitney and Lochan could still have a very bright future ahead of them if past success stories are anything to go by, writes Grace Henry.
On Monday 31st July, fans watched as Jess Harding and Sammy Root were crowned as the Love Island season 10 winners.
While pleased for Jess, who has definitely been a trooper on this year's Love Island, many were shocked to see former public favourites Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki come in second place, after fans predicted that the couple would win by a landslide.
In an exclusive RadioTimes.com poll, 57.4 per cent voted Whitney and Lochan as this year's winners, with Tyrique Hyde and Ella Thomas behind them in second place with 20.3 per cent of the votes.
Only 12.3 per cent of fans thought Jess and Sammy would win, given that the couple had previously been in the bottom three on multiple occasions, and had explored other connections (although that was mostly Sammy).
Following the final results, many took to Twitter to air their confusion, with some accusing Whitney and Lochan of "being robbed" of the winning title.
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But Whitney and Lochan not winning season 10 might not actually be such a bad thing.
From previous years, we know that it's usually the runner-ups that go on to achieve great success within their careers, and their relationships outside of the show.
Take Love Island sensation Molly-Mae Hague, who is arguably the biggest star to come out of the ITV2 dating show.
Molly and her partner Tommy Fury finished as runner-ups to Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea back in 2019. However, outside of the show is where the true winnings came for the couple.
Not only are Molly and Tommy now engaged after four years together, the couple welcomed their first child - a baby girl named Bambi - in January 2023.
As well as this, their careers have gone from strength-to-strength. Following the show, Molly served as a brand ambassador for Pretty Little Thing, and in August 2021, she was hired as the firm's creative director, reportedly earning £400,000 per month.
She recently stepped down from this role, but will appear in Netflix's At Home with the Furys this August 2023, alongside Tommy, his older brother, heavy weight champion of the world Tyson Fury, and family.
And Molly isn't the only runner-up to have achieved great success since the show. While season two winners Nathan Massey and Cara De La Hoyde are still very much together and married with children, their runners-up, Olivia Buckland and Alex Bowen, are doing just as well!
The couple who met in 2016 are now married and have a son, Abel Jacob, who was born in June 2022.
As well as this, they've gone on to sign numerous brand deals and even featured in their own TLC reality series, Olivia and Alex Said Yes, in which they documented their engagement and life in their £1 million Essex home, where they live with their two French Bulldogs, Winnie and Reggie.
Similarly, season three runners-up Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt have gone on to do great things since appearing on Love Island. The couple lost to Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies (who sadly split five months after the final), but have been winning at life ever since.
They have two children together - Nell, two, and Nora, six months - and got married in September 2021. As well as this, former explosive ordnance disposal specialist Camilla has dedicated her time to important causes since leaving the show, from joining women's rights marches to working with the Choose Love non-profit organisation.
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Fans were left shocked at Tyrique and Ella coming third, but the couple need not worry either, as third place is also not a bad place to be.
Just look at Indiyah Polack and Dami Hope, who came third in 2022. They lost to Davide Sanclimenti and Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, who recently called time on their romance.
Dami and Indiyah are still together and recently celebrated their one-year anniversary.
Additionally, Indiyah signed a deal as Pretty Little Thing's first marketplace ambassador, and she's also bagged herself a pretty good stint working alongside Love Island host Maya Jama and reality TV star Sam Thompson on Love Island: Aftersun.
She also co-hosts the Love Island: Morning After podcast with Sam, which all sounds like a win if you ask me!
So, while Whitney and Lochan may not have bagged the £50,000 cash prize, the couple could still have a very bright future ahead of them, if these past success stories are anything to go by.
Love Island will return to ITV2 and ITVX in 2024. Seasons 1-10 are available to watch on ITVX. You can watch all previous seasons of Love Island on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.
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