Here’s everything you need to know about episode 23 of Love Island summer 2023.
We’re nearly a month into the summer series of Love Island 2023, and the drama shows no sign of slowing down, as the Islanders are still chopping and changing who they want to be coupled-up with!
Episode 23 of the show saw the love triangle between Jess Harding, Sammy Root and Mitchel Taylor intensify, while Zachariah Noble and Kady McDermott worked to overcome her awkward rejection of his kiss on the terrace the night before.
Viewers also watched the girls compete to be the villa’s ‘top snogger’ in the kissing challenge, and sadly saw two of the Islanders leave the villa in another shock dumping.
If you missed all the action, then don’t worry – RadioTimes.com has you covered with our handy recap video above.
Keep reading to find out everything that happened in episode 23 of Love Island…
What happened on Love Island summer 2023 last night? Episode 23 recap
!["Sammy]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Sammy-Root-and-Jess-Harding-eb44755.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Sammy")
The episode started with the Islanders having a morning debrief about the night before – and it soon became clear that some of the contestants are on different pages to their partners.
While Tyrique Hyde and Ella Thomas were still on cloud nine from their first date, with Tyrique sweetly revealing the romantic day had brought the couple closer and said: “life’s like a fairytale, it’s crazy”, Whitney Adebayo explained to the girls that she had chatted to Mehdi Edno about their relationship, and they’d agreed to be open to getting to know other people.
But the girls soon figured out that Whit wasn’t happy with the situation, and told her to tell Medhi how she feels. When the French model filled the boys in on their conversation, even the often emotionally-distant Tyrique told him: “I feel like Whitney downplays how she feels about you. You defo need to be patient with her.”
The subject of Zachariah’s rebuffed kiss was also a hot topic, as he discussed his feelings for Kady and revealed that he “hasn’t felt like that in a long time,” (despite telling Molly Marsh that he loved her as she was dumped from the villa!)
But while she admitted to liking the south London personal trainer, Kady told the group: “I still thought he’d be mourning Molly, I didn’t think he’d kiss me straightaway.” You and us both, Kady!
And things got even more awkward between the pair when Zach and Ty made a romantic double-date breakfast for her and Ella. Kady appeared to confuse Zach with Scott van der Sluis or her ex-boyfriend, Scott Thomas. Eek!
Mitchel also thought things were heading in the right direction with Jess, and told the boys that “things are going really well”, but the aesthetics practitioner admitted that if it were possible, she would use “a magic wand to go back and be coupled up with Sammy”.
“I’m trying to move past the Sammy situation, but I just keep bringing myself back to it,” she admitted to the girls. “If Mitch kissed me, I think I’d do the same as you, Kady [and say no].”
!["Whitney]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/06/Whitney-Adebayo-and-Medhi-Edno-8bd41ee.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Whitney")
It was then time for the Islanders to freshen up, as Sammy got a text revealing they were about to play the kissing challenge.
The boys lined up and wore ear-cancelling headphones and eye masks to keep the competition fair, and rated each anonymous girl’s performance out of ten marks to reveal who would be the villa’s ‘top snogger’. Cringe.
While the competition did have its sweet moments, such as Ty saying Ella’s kiss “felt like home”, the girls later revealed that they weren’t impressed with Mitch’s smooch.
“Mitch was giving teeth, Scott was giving… he just wasn’t giving,” Whitney cackled later in the Beach Hut.
A delighted Jess came out on top in the challenge, and Kady – who, in fairness, didn’t put in much effort – came last.
In the evening, Jess thought it was only right to address her feelings with Sammy.
Pulling the project manager for a chat, Jess told him that she was finding it hard to force the romance with gas engineer Mitch, and added: “I have tried, but I don’t generally see that there is anything.”
After listening to what she had to say, Sammy, who is currently coupled-up with Mal Nicol, said: “I’ve known her for six days… I’m not in a position to say: ‘It’s just Mal.’”
Their conversation prompted him to have an awkward talk with Mal, where he repeated what Jess had said – but added that he could “genuinely can see something with” the Scottish picture researcher.
Jess also had to come clean to Mitch, telling him how much she values their friendship.
While he asked her to “give it a day or so” to think about her decision, Jess told him that she didn’t “feel like it’s going anywhere”, and added: “I look at you like my best mate in here.”
The Islanders were then in for a shock, as unbeknownst to them, viewers had been voting to keep their favourite singleton in the competition.
Gathered around the fire pit, it was revealed that the two contestants with the fewest votes would be dumped from the villa immediately – Mal and Mehdi.
An emotional Whitney described the shocking result as “brutal”, and had one last heartfelt conversation with Mehdi before he returned to the UK.
“I feel like we were getting there, even though we had bumps, we were working to get there,” he told her. “You’re here to find love, don’t be sad, go for it because you never know. I’ll miss you so much.”
Mehdi added: “I’m sad to be separated from you, but I’m not upset, I’m grateful.”
And although she was understandably tearful, the episode did prompt a lovely moment between Whitney and Catherine Agbaje, as the Dublin real estate agent told her friend: “I just hope you know that you’re everyone’s heart in here.” Aww!
Love Island airs on ITV2 at 9pm. You can watch all previous seasons of Love Island on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.
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