I’ve got a famous ex and I’ll reveal his name when I get in the villa, says Love Island’s Amber Beckford
NEW Love Islander Amber Beckford has revealed she has a famous ex – and is ready to unmask him when she enters the ITV2 villa. The stunning 24-year-old said she has been single for a year and a half after splitting from her mystery lover. She said: “Have I dated anyone famous? Yes, but I’m […]
NEW Love Islander Amber Beckford has revealed she has a famous ex – and is ready to unmask him when she enters the ITV2 villa.
The stunning 24-year-old said she has been single for a year and a half after splitting from her mystery lover.
She said: “Have I dated anyone famous? Yes, but I’m going to keep that to myself for the moment. Obviously that relationship didn’t work out, as I’m going on Love Island.
“It didn’t end because I’d cheated or been cheated on though, to the best of my knowledge I’ve never been cheated on, though I suppose you never really know.”
Amber, a nanny from South London, whose social media includes snaps of her riding in a Lamborghini, walking into Harrods and being flown in a helicopter, continued: “I think I will talk about my ex in the villa if people ask.
“I’m definitely an open person, so I’d be happy to.
“But right now, my journey is going on Love Island and finding new love, so I don’t want to be talking too much about my exes.”
She went on: “Looking back at the relationships I’ve been in, my type is all over the place, physically and personality-wise.
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“Maybe that’s my problem, I can do blond hair and blue eyes, tall, dark and handsome, short.
“For me, they need to be a gentleman and have humour. They need a personality and a backbone.
Getting frisky
“Because my job is looking after children, I don’t want to be looking after a child in the evenings and at the weekends too.”
Amber is one of 11 new contestants entering the Love Island villa in Mallorca on tomorrow night’s opening show.
Others joining her include paramedic Paige Thorne, 24, who told how the show will give her a welcome break after the “scary” experience of working through the pandemic.
And she believes she was meant to enter the villa, revealing she was nicknamed a “Love Island girl” on her very first day in her job.
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Paige, from Swansea, said: “No bulls**t, when I first walked into work two and a half years ago, one of my colleagues was like, ‘Here’s a Love Island girl’.
“There are three of us working there who have a similar look and we are known as the Love Island girls, so maybe it was fate.
“But it wasn’t a negative thing. All three of us took it as a compliment. The only sexism I’ve ever had at work is the guys saying, ‘Shall I lift that?’ because they think I don’t have the muscle. But I’ll always prove them wrong.”
Paige, who applied for the show on a whim while getting ready for a night out, went on: “I can’t wait to have this experience and let loose.
“I’m hoping to meet an absolute friend who I can live my life with.
“And if things get a bit fiery in there, I don’t like confrontation, but I’m good at it.”
Model and dancer Tasha Ghouri, 23, was approached to be the show’s first deaf contestant after a picture of her modelling for ASOS displaying her cochlear hearing implant went viral.
She has thrown down the gauntlet for potential boyfriends in the villa, saying she won’t tolerate anyone who just sees her as “the deaf girl”.
She said: “I’ve never let my superpower, as I call it, hold me back with dating. I’ll let guys know, and then if they don’t like it, it’s their loss.
“I date people who don’t judge me based on the fact I have a cochlear implant. I’m not a big fan of negatives, and if someone is negative in the villa I won’t let it affect me. I’ll do me, you do you.”
Tasha, from Thirsk, North Yorks, continued: “I didn’t have any doubts whatsoever about going on the show. I knew what I was getting myself into. “I just want the other contestants to know me as me, as Tasha, not the girl who is deaf, because I have a name and a personality.
“I’m a bit wild and a bit fun. I’m quirky and goofy but I’m also driven and I’ve got my head screwed on.”
This year the villa has several new features, including a romantic fire pit for two, which sources say the show’s bosses hope will lead to couples getting frisky al fresco.
One said: “The new fire pit is an area where the couples can do whatever they want.
“When it comes to sex on the show, there are three rules. They have to use protection, it has to be consensual and it has to not go against common-sense rules about public decency.
“As long as those rules are met, nowhere in the villa is out of bounds.”
Other additions include a sexed-up hideaway accessed via a heart-shaped tunnel. And raunchy toys stashed in an under-bed drawer for the couples spending the night there will include a paddle and chocolate body paint.
In a twist, fans have flocked to the show’s app for the first chance to play matchmaker and pair up the contestants. The poll closed yesterday.
Romantic backgrounds
It comes as most of the contestants said they were open to having sex on the show if they fell for someone.
Andrew Le Page, 27, an estate agent from Guernsey, said: “Yeah, I would go all the way with a girl I like, but it depends on if she’s happy to or not. It might happen.”
And fishmonger Luca Bish, 23, from Brighton, told how his family — including his Italian nan Rosa — will be thrilled if he ends up having sex in the house.
He said: “She’d probably be clapping, she’s all for it. If that happens, it happens.”
This year almost 100,000 wannabes applied to be on Love Island, but just three of the final line-up — Andrew, Paige and Dami Hope, a microbiologist from Dublin — were among them, while the others were approached by casting staff.
Executive producer Mike Spencer said: “This year we sent out more casting teams than ever before, on the streets, into bars and nightclubs.
“And this year you’ll see that most of the contestants have jobs that people can relate to. They have a social media presence, of course, but they are not solely influencers.
“And if you look at the fans’ feedback on online forums, that is what a lot of our viewers want to see, people they can relate to.”
He added: “We are really pleased with this year’s line-up. At every stage of the process, which began in January, we have quizzed the contestants about their types, who have they dated in the past, why it’s worked or not worked.
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“We have gathered as much information about their romantic backgrounds as possible, so that we can put them together with people they will click with.
“You can’t force a spark, but we are hoping for more successful couples than ever before.”
- Love Island begins tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2
Love Island richlist
LOVE Island has helped to create millionaires almost every year since it hit our screens in 2015.
Here we give you the rich list of those who have turned their 15 minutes of fame into serious big bucks.
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury – £8.4million: The runners-up on the 2019 show are undisputed Love Island rich list leaders.
Molly-Mae, 23, earned another £2million last year, giving her a net worth of around £6million. She has 6.3million Instagram followers, a self-tanning brand and a reported £500,000 deal with PrettyLittleThing.
Boxer Tommy, 23, is worth an estimated £2.4million and the couple recently bought a £3.5million, six-bedroom home in Cheshire.
Alex Bowen and Olivia Buckland – £4.5million: They met on Love Island in 2016 and married in 2018. Alex, 30, earned around £200,000 modelling for BoohooMAN, Gym King and Hype, and made around £700,000 from club appearances.
Olivia, 28, has earned around £200,000 from TV presenting, and has also released a MissPap clothing range and modelled for Rocky Star.
Dani Dyer – £3million: After her 2018 appearance, EastEnders actor Danny Dyer’s daughter, 25, signed deals with Cadbury and InTheStyle.
She reportedly charges up to £15,000 for one Instagram post.
She released a book in 2019 and has a podcast with her dad, Sorted With The Dyers. They are set to film an E4 travel show this year.
Maura Higgins – £2.5million: Irish beauty, 31, who was fourth in the 2019 series, has a reported £500,000 deal with Boohoo, has fronted an Ann Summers campaign and is said to earn £10,000 a week posting on Instagram.
Amber Gill – £2million: After winning the 2019 series she signed a £1million deal with Miss Pap.
The 24-year-old has made another million from deals with brands including Maybelline, British Airways and Just Eat. She also earns from social media partnerships.
Megan Barton-Hanson – £2million: Became a brand ambassador for PrettyLittleThing and Ann Summers after the 2015 show and has an OnlyFans site. Megan, 28, made almost £400,000 last year.
Amber Davies – £1.7million: Since her 2017 Love Island stint she has had a role in West End musical 9 to 5 and has a deal with fashion firm Motel Rocks.
Liberty Poole – £1.7million: After last year’s show the 22-year-old became a brand ambassador for InTheStyle, in a £1million deal.
Wes Nelson – £1.5 million: The 24-year-old became a millionaire at 21 after the 2018 series from personal appearances, a fashion deal, TV appearances and a record deal.
Kem Cetinay and Chris Hughes – 1.4 million: Since the 2017 series Kem, 26, has appeared on Dancing On Ice and Chris, 29, has had partnerships with Topshop and Carphone Warehouse.
