Love Island review: Finally, the islanders have caught feelings – so when does Casa Amor start?

It’s taken three weeks to arrive, but we’ve finally got it: the first surprise recoupling of the season. Faced with a line-up of bachelors, two of whom – Davide and Remi – are single, new girl Danica instead chooses to couple up with Luca, longtime lover (in Love Island terms, at least) of Gemma. Danica’s decision was always going to ruffle some feathers, but it’s not Gemma but Luca himself who angrily huffs and puffs at having to spend the night away from his beloved.

While the sound team do their best to tease out even a little suspense as Ikenna and new boy Remi stand by the firepit waiting to be selected by Indiyah, there was only ever one way this elimination was going to end – and that’s with Remi packing his bags and unceremoniously leaving the villa.

At the first chance, Luca leaps up to tell Gemma she has nothing to worry about. Coupled up or not, his head will not be turned by any bombshell. (Whether the same can be said of Gemma if the right man were to walk through the door remains to be seen.) Sent off on an awkward first date that no one wants to be on, Luca firmly informs Danica she doesn’t stand a chance with him. With the fishmonger firmly off the table then, Danica sets her sights on the next best thing: his quasi-doppelganger Jacques. Watch out, Paige.

Elsewhere in the episode, Davide informs Ekin-Su that “karma’s a b***” after she pulls him for a chat to say sorry for her actions the other night. Those actions, in case you missed it, were requesting that Davide make her food while she crawled on her hands and knees to the terrace for a clandestine snog on the terrace with bombshell Jay. Having got the apologies over and done with, Ekin-Su asks Davide whether he still cares for her, to which our Italian Stallion answers with a resolute no. That’s that then.

That same evening, Dami admits what we’ve known all along: things between him and Amber aren’t as peachy as they might first appear. (Anyone who saw Amber’s body language in this episode can attest to that). Dami finds himself in an age-old predicament: he wants to stay loyal to Amber but also wants to get to know Indiyah. The heart wants what the heart wants. In what could very well be the worst advice of Love Island history, Jay and Ekin-Su advise Dami to “use the terrace” as a secret meeting spot for any future rendez-vous. As Dami is mid-confession, Amber – at the behest of the reality TV gods, or more likely a sneaky producer – sidles on up to the trio who gracefully pivot the conversation to the very believable (?) subject of paracetamol.

At last, there are some real-life feelings going on between the islanders. Allegiances have been formed and promises have been made. This begs just one question: when does Casa Amor start?

Love Island continues on ITV2 at 9pm every night except Saturdays. Episodes are available to watch on ITVHub and Britbox the following day.