Love Island champion Jess Harding has candidly criticized her former partner Sammy Root’s performance on All Stars as she prepares for her own appearance on the ITV2 series. Scheduled to join the South African villa this week for the premiere on Monday, ITV recently announced a delay in filming due to local wildfires.
Although a confirmed return date for All Stars is pending, Jess is set to join the show alongside other notable participants like Whitney Adebayo, Millie Court, Ciaran Davies, and Shaq Muhammad. Following her victory with Sammy on Love Island in 2023, the couple parted ways a few months later.
Sammy’s participation in the second season of All Stars saw him finish in fifth place with Elma Pazar before their breakup just four months after the show, which was later aired on TOWIE.
Reflecting on Sammy’s All Stars journey, Jess expressed to The Sun: “I think he was very attached to Elma during that time. Do you understand what I’m saying?” She further commented on his approach, stating that he didn’t explore options as he did when they were together, emphasizing the importance of transparency in communication.
Jess also mentioned feeling a lack of transparency during her previous Love Island experience and noted Sammy’s different demeanor on All Stars, portraying himself as more composed.
Despite their history, Jess mentioned that she would be fine with Sammy rejoining the villa, emphasizing that there are no hard feelings with the 2023 cast members.
The anticipated launch of All Stars, featuring the return of Maya Jama, was postponed due to the wildfires in South Africa. Concerns for the crew’s safety were addressed by ITV, ensuring appropriate support and accommodations during this time.
ITV later issued a statement confirming the postponement of All Stars due to the ongoing wildfires, prioritizing health and safety as they work on rescheduling the show’s transmission.
Love Island: All Stars is expected to air later this year on ITV2 and ITVX.