Love Island All Stars: Why did Sammy and Jess break-up as series 10 winner returns for All Stars stint

The Love Island All Stars villa is about to get two new bombshell arrivals, with series three contestant Danielle Sellers set to walk through the famous villa doors with series 10 winner Sammy Root.

Sammy, 23, won the show back in 2023 in a shock result for him and partner Jess Harding. The pair charmed viewers with their sweet relationship in the villa and scooped the £50,000 cash prize as a result.

However it wasn’t all rosy once they got back to real life. Here’s everything you need to know about Sammy and Jess’s relationship and why they split.

Why did Sammy and Jess break-up?

Sammy and Jess didn’t last long outside of the villa, with the split confirmed only three months after they won the show. The duo initially attended public appearances, such as the National Television Awards, together but insiders claimed that they were struggling to get along behind the scenes.

Speculation over the status of their relationship came when they began making official appearances separately. The news of their split came in December 2023, with Jess reportedly dumping Sammy over the phone before jetting off to Ibiza with some friends, according to The Sun.

At the time, Sammy said: "To be totally clear - I at least wanted a face-to-face conversation to see if our relationship could be saved and felt this would be a respectful way forward. We had the most incredible experience winning Love Island and I genuinely saw a future with Jess.

"I was committed and respectful to our relationship. Unfortunately things don't always work out the way you'd hoped."

Who has Sammy dated since splitting from Jess?

Sammy, a former project manager, went on to launch his career in influencing after appearing on Love Island and even picked up a gig on reality series The Only Way Is Essex. He could be heading for a warm welcome from Elma when he enters the villa...

It was on TOWIE that he sparked rumours of a flirtation and possible connection with Elma, who was also appearing on the show at the same time. A source told The Sun: "Elma has said the attraction with Sammy was nothing more than flirtation as she’s conscious they have an age gap of nearly 10 years, but Love Island execs hope under the South African sun, love could bloom."

Love Island All Stars continues at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX Mondays to Fridays. Love Island All Stars: Unseen Bits airs every Saturday at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.