There was a shock double dumping on Wednesday night’s Love Island as both Eyal Booker and Zara McDermott got the boot.
Model Eyal, 22, had been one of this year’s original islanders, while government advisor Zara, 21, only arrived at the villa last week.
Unfortunately for them, they were sent home in the latest episode after a shock twist split the group in half and made the islanders turn on each other…
Eyal has been coupled up with Megan Barton Hanson, but they had ended their romance the day before (and she’s now got eyes for Wes Nelson), while Zara was in a happy pairing with Adam Collard.
The public had voted to save four couples – Dani and Jack, Wes and Laura, Josh and Georgia, and Samira and Sam – and those four couples then split into girls and boys, with the girls having to vote off a boy and the boys having to vote off a girl.
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Eyal was picked by the girls because he’s not in a secure couple, while Zara was chosen by the boys who felt she had not integrated with the islanders as much as others.
ED! and other media caught up with Eyal and Zara to chat about about betrayal, romance and which islanders are playing games…
How does it feel that your fellow islanders sent you home?
Zara: “I think it’s a little bit disappointing, obviously, as we were having such a great time, it’s an experience like no other and you have to be in it to truly understand everything about the villa. I think we’re both disappointed to have left but also excited for what is to come in the next couple of days.”
Eyal: “I’m a little bit shocked by the decision and disheartened, but at the same time, I understand and they had reasons for doing it. I don’t hold it against anyone. I had a really good time and a great experience. What’s meant to be is meant to be.”
Zara, will you be waiting for Adam on the outside?
Zara: “I will definitely be waiting for Adam. We had such an intense relationship in the villa. We spent so much time together. Probably, I’d say, more than any of the other couples did. So I’m really looking forward to seeing him and what he gets up to. Hopefully everything will be great when he comes out.”
How would you feel if he romantically coupled with someone else?
Zara: “I would be gutted and it would be a real shame as I think we genuinely built a connection. He said to me yesterday he’s never felt this way about any of his ex-girlfriends. So it would be a shame and disappointment if he recoupled with someone else. But I hope it works out in my favour.”
Eyal, do you think Megan was playing a game?
Eyal: “I think there is an element that Megan is playing a game. Obviously we were in quite a good relationship for a little while. I asked for reassurance from her in order to have that reassurance I wanted and needed as I didn’t know if she was in it for right reasons or not. She gave me the reassurance I wanted to hear then quite quickly decided that it wasn’t for her and kind of gave up on the whole thing. You have to assume someone is playing a game if they say one thing and do another.”
Did it surprise you she went for Wes?
Eyal: “No, not really. I knew they got on and we would all hang around in a group and they would have light-hearted fun together. But at the same time, she always spoke about being honest and open with our feelings and that we would tell each other how we felt if things changed. I think in that respect she fancied Wes for a lot longer than she let on so I would have appreciated – and it would have been a respectful thing to do – if she kind of didn’t lead me on and was honest with me.”
Did it surprise you how Megan made her feelings for Wes clear? She kissed him in the challenge and then took him away for a chat…
Eyal:“I was a little surprised as Megan always came in saying she was a really shy girl who doesn’t have much confidence, then all of a sudden her shyness and lack of confidence seemed to disappear. So I was a little bit shocked but at the same time it is what it is. Don’t judge a book by its cover but maybe you have to a little bit.”
Is there any chance of you reconciling with Hayley now you’re both out of the villa?
Eyal: “(Laughs) There is no chance of a reconciliation with me and Hayley! I think we found that out pretty quickly! I am all for giving people a second chance but I think Hayley was a little bit of a game player in the villa. Me and Hayley are definitely going to go our separate ways!”
Do you think the villa was the wrong place for you to find love?
Eyal: “I don’t believe it was the wrong show to go on because I believe everyone in the villa is different and if someone like me was willing to go on the show why wouldn’t the girl version of me go on the show? I just think maybe it wasn’t my place to find love and it didn’t work out for me. But I gave people the opportunity and gave people my full self and tried as much as I could.”
Alex has been unlucky in love – do you think he’s doing anything wrong?
Zara: “Alex is definitely one of those people who can be slightly socially awkward. I think with the boys as well. In my opinion he never really, personality-wise, aligned with some of the other boys in the villa. I think he is special to the right girl.”
Eyal: “I don’t think Alex is doing anything wrong. It’s just the matter of the right girl coming in the villa and actually liking him for who he is, as opposed to liking him for someone to recouple with and they realise they’re not into him.”
Do you think Ellie was playing a game with Alex?
Zara: “I don’t think so. I came in with her and she said Alex was her number one choice. I had to say to her, ‘No, keep your options open.’ Alex was very similar to her previous partner, personality-wise. I don’t think she was playing a game. Living with someone is different to being a viewer; you see a different side and you gel with him or you don’t. I definitely gelled with him as a friend and I think she did too. I don’t think romantically that’s always the case. You can’t always predict how you feel about someone just watching them on screen.”
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Are Jack and Dani as solid as they seem?
Eyal: “I think their relationship is completely genuine and they have very strong feelings for each other. They’re quite similar but different at the same time. The whole point of Love Island is to genuinely find love. If there is one thing that has gone right in the villa it’s those two: they are a match made in heaven.”
Zara, how will it feel to go back to your government job?
“I won’t be going back to my government job yet. I think I’ll enjoy my time off and just see what happens. I am definitely looking forward to going back at some point in the future!”
Love Island continues 9pm on ITV2.
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