A look at the powerful personalities who helped to salvage the recent series.
When Love Island UK returned for its twelfth series in June 2025, the odds were stacked against it. After a forgettable All Stars run at New Year, many assumed the era of Love Island dominance had fizzled out.
The show’s formula had become painfully predictable. Contestants couple up in week one, coast to the final, land a fast-fashion brand deal, then split up publicly, announced through a black-screen Instagram story. Romance was no longer the prize. The real success was leaving the villa with a PrettyLittleThing discount code and a feature at an A-Levels Results party.
At the outset of the 57 episode series, the predictable pipeline was set to repeat itself. Meg Moore and Dejon Noel-Williams fit the familiar mould, starting out as a couple from day one and making things “official” when they lost support. They were destined for victory, yet, when they exited with a fifth-place finish, it was clear viewers had grown tired of scripted romances. The villa no longer revolved around typical romances. Instead, audiences were tuning in for drama, honesty, and chaos.
Enter the disruptors: Toni Laites, Shakira Khan and Yasmin Pettet. The trio weren’t supposed to win, or even last the course, but their brash confidence, alternative style and refusal to conform made them breakout stars almost immediately. They were arguably not suited for Love Island, they were better.
From the moment Laites walked in as a bombshell, the dynamic shifted. The show’s first American contestant, she arrived proudly and never wanted to play nice. Spotting that Khan had been isolated from her female co-stars, Laites reached out. Their friendship was raw, messy, and undeniably relatable. When the infamous Movie Night rolled around, which could’ve been career-ending for the two of them, their reputations were boosted. By the close of the series, Khan even coupled up with villa villain Harry Cooksley without losing public support, even after his alarming behaviour with Helena Ford. Fans admired her ability to push men to be more emotionally honest, and admitted to making mistakes herself.
Pettet’s path was equally rocky. Nicknamed “YasGPT” by TikTok users for her perfect posture and often coarse delivery, she was mocked for her confidence and occasional promiscuity. But the tide turned. Critics admitted she had grown on them, especially when she paired up with Jamie Rhodes, who celebrated her uniqueness. Pettet stopped being a generic Islander, and became one of the season’s most distinctive characters.
What truly defined this series was not romance, but friendship, and how these women supported each other no matter what. Their response to the troubling behaviour in the villa, dominated by male dominance and manipulation, became the backdrop for their public admiration. Love Island received over 14,000 Ofcom complaints throughout the series, many relating to bullying and misogyny. Khan, in particular, received the most hostility from fellow Islanders, while Laites’ early partner Harrison Solomon was publicly criticised by Women’s Aid for his sexist conduct. Proudly dubbed as the “young bull”, Khan and Laites were labelled bullies simply for challenging the derogatory comments and alarming behaviours exhibited by male contestants in the villa. For many viewers, it was a difficult watch, and for the women themselves, it was clearly an exhausting experience. Yet, their willingness to stand up to the behaviour proved refreshing and admirable.
This shift didn’t go unnoticed. Within days of leaving the villa, the trio landed an interview and photoshoot with i-D. In doing so, they traded out the staged Hello! Magazine cover in favour of something trendier, and more authentic to themselves. Pop star Charli XCX was the first to praise their photoshoot, another woman who has shown how successful alternative fashion and culture is in the modern day. Their aesthetic cemented the break from Love Island past. Rather than appearing in pink bodycon dresses, they wore unique pieces by designers Laura Andrascho and Conner Ives, renowned for their experimental style. Their makeup was dark and smudged, almost gothic, and their poses were quirky and innovative. Gone were the polished princess looks, in their place stood something rough and ready.
The rise of Laites, Khan and Pettet feels like a cultural reset for Love Island. Just as Maura Higgins and Amber Gill once won support for being unapologetically outspoken, this trio has pushed things further when the show desperately needed it. As TikTok has taken over as a primary source of spreading information, especially in a relaxed, conversational style, these women have become pioneers of their own content creation. Instead of letting criticism define them, they leaned into it, turning their flaws into strengths and gaining cult-like support in the process.
Post-Love Island life suddenly feels aspirational again. Not because of the holiday romance under the Mallorcan sun, or the hopes of securing a brand deal, but because three women were willing to be authentic, flawed and outspoken on national television. At a time when reality television often rewards conformity, Laites, Khan and Pettet proved there is an appetite for something else. Their fashion is edgy, their personalities are relatable, and their accountability has resonated with audiences. Love Island is shifting British culture again, and hopefully this change will continue.
Words by Abigail Mableson
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