Love Island review: In the battle of Ekin-Su v the girls, it’s hard to pick sides

Two weeks into the Love Island villa and the same islanders have been getting all the airtime: your Gemmas, your Lucas, your Ekin-Sus. But in the brief snippets in between, we’ve pieced together an Indiyah/Ikenna/Dami/Amber entanglement. When you pair the fact that Indiyah and Ikenna are going their separate ways with Dami’s recent admission that he’s way more interested in Indiyah than her bestie Amber (AKA the girl he’s actually partnered up with), it looks like trouble’s on the horizon.

The episode picks up following Dami’s revelation, with Ekin-Su ready to pounce. After a tense exchange between Ekin-Su and Amber, Jay begins – to use an underrated Peep Show quote – to wheedle wheedle, pry and needle. “I’m sensing friction between you and Amber,” he tells Ekin-Su (ya think?!), before suggesting that Paige doesn’t like her much either. Ekin-Su, qu’elle surprise, is having none of it. She confronts Amber and the other female islanders move in – partly to diffuse the situation, partly to get all the goss. When Ekin-Su sarcastically snaps, “Yeah, ‘cos you’re really secure in your relationship,” Amber looks baffled.

It’s a cheap dig – even Ekin-Su later admits it. But now the other girls are here. Gemma backs up Amber, telling Ekin-Su: “I think you’re calculated and you know what you’re doing.” Ouch. It’s a tough situation – I’m inclined to agree with the girls, but see why Ekin-Su feels ganged up on. I know she said she wasn’t here to make “seasonal girlfriends”, but yeesh.

The next day, amends are vaguely made and we’re treated to that most-hated Love Island activity… a game where the islanders spit in each other’s mouths. Not to kink shame, but does anyone actually enjoy watching this? It’s just as grim for the islanders, who sit around afterwards covered in regurgitated cocktail. Given the flirty giggling coming from Jacques and Paige as they wash off, I’m not sure the others would be welcome in the shower anyway.

Meanwhile, Indiyah has decided she and Ikenna should just be friends. He plays it implausibly chill in a “yeah, whatever, didn’t care anyway” kind of way. Sure, hun. Amber cluelessly confides in Indiyah that she’s concerned things might be going south with Dami – Indiyah tells her to sleep on it. Dami, on the other hand, has none of her diplomacy and tells Indiyah he wants to be in her bed. She keeps it cool (when does she not) even while admitting it’s reciprocated, and they seal the deal with that most romantic of gestures: the fist bump.

The gang are mid-selfie when they get that dreaded text alert. The least popular islanders’ names (according to the public) are read out, usually by someone they’ve beefed with. The bottom three boys are Ikenna, Jay and Andrew. For the girls, it’s (shockingly) Tasha, Amber and Ekin-Su. Things end on a cliffhanger, of course, after we learn that the least popular contestants will be swiftly being dumped. No matter who goes, some couples are about to be broken up. The spirit of Theo from series three, insisting that Tyla would have left with Johnny if she really liked him, will be summoned. God, I can’t wait.