Love Island All Stars cast's secret connections from surprising friendship to TOWIE link

From a shock TOWIE link to surprising friendships from other seasons, this year's contestants on Love Island All Stars are linked in ways that might surprise you...

This year's series of Love Island All Stars is set to be juicer than ever as friends and frenemies alike are reunited, with a handle of exes also being brought back together as the first episode kicks off tonight.

The first 12 contestants have been confirmed, with Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu hotly tipped to become a Love Island bombshell this time around. Presenter Maya Jama has promised 'explosions' as the series progresses and she is hoping old flames Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville will find love again.

"I'm rooting for them to get back together," said the star. "But who knows, they could end up in a cute friendship — we're not sure at this point. Neither of them know the other is going in, so that's going to be fireworks anyway." As fans eagerly await to see sparks fly, we look at all the surprising connections between cast members outside of their Love Island fame...

Influencer pals

Gabby and Kaz Crossley were on different series of Love Island but they have become firm friends who could be a great support for each other on this year's show. With Kaz into combat sports and Gabby a personal trainer, the two women have fitness in common.

Last year Kaz, who battles alopecia, shared a video on Instagram of her getting her head shaved to raise £15,000 for Little Lady Locks, a charity which offers free hairloss treatments to under 18s. Proud pal Gabby was quick to respond to Kaz's video with a series of heart emojis and the word 'crying'.

PR guru

Scott is boss of The Social PR, a marketing and talent management agency, so its unsurprising the Love Island contestant has impeccable celebrity contacts. He can start with his own very famous brothers - Ryan Thomas used to star in Coronation Street which Adam Thomas is linked with Emmerdale.

Scott follows Gabby, Marcel, Kaz and Olivia Hawkins on Instagram so its safe to assume they know each other. The Social PR has worked with Love Island alumni Olivia Attwood and Maura Higgins and regularly teams up with brands popular with Love Island contestants, such as PrettyLittleThing or Foot Asylum.

Series 'buddies'

Curtis Pritchard, Elma Pazar and India Reynolds all starred in Love Island in 2019. Curtis, who became a meme after making coffee in the morning for everyone, became the show villain that year after he cruelly dumped his partner Amy Hart when he took a shine to a newcomer.

Elma, who had only lasted six days on Love Island, continued watching after she left and was heartbroken for devastated Amy, who quit the show. "I am so emotionally invested," she said. "I think I've cried more in the last four days than I have the whole year." But the star wasn't too judgemental of Curtis's actions, so could they be pals in this year's All Stars contest?

"You can look at it two ways," she said of the break-up. "You can say, do you know what he was being honest to himself and at least he's being honest to Amy, but my heart breaks for her, it really does." Elma, India and Curtis all follow each other on social media, meaning a series five gang could be formed.

Towie link

Gabby has links with The Only Way Is Essex bad boy Dan Osbourne and was once branded the 'other women' in his relationship with his wife Jacqueline Jossa. Gabby and Dan insisted they were strictly platonic but after they appeared on Celebrity Big Brother their friendship was over, with Gabby telling the Sun: "I haven't spoken to him. Once again it's a level of respect. I don't want to tread on anyone's toes. Jacq and her family are much more important than me and Dan being mates."

Dan appeared on Towie with a lovable member of the cast called Diags who dated another Love Island All Star - Elma. Elma joined Towie after her original Love Island stint, becoming embroiled in a love triangle with Diags and his new girlfriend Jodie. Gabby and Elma follow each other on social media, perhaps due to their links with Towie men, meaning another girl gang could form in the villa.

Heartbreak

A not-so-secret former connection is Gabby Allen and Marcel Somerville, who got together on Love Island back in 2017. They left the show together, but a year later, Marcel admitted to cheating on her during a romantic holiday in Mexico, leading her to dump him.

When the couple had a row, Marcel sneaked out and went onto hook up with another guest at the hotel. He later apologised for his bad behaviour, saying he would 'regret it forever', but it was too late - Gabby called it quits on their relationship. They don't follow one another on Instagram - could sleeping in the same room in the Love Island villa prove super awkward?