"Are we in the Hunger Games?" — Love Island UK fans react to Shakira being at risk of elimination after the latest twist

Love Island UK premiered its 12th season with host Maya Jama on June 9, 2025. The episode welcomed 12 singles who entered the Marbella villa, all in search of their perfect matches. However, an unexpected twist left the islanders feeling tense.

In a surprising turn of events, 'bombshell' (newcomer) Antonia "Toni" Laites entered the villa moments after the new singles had coupled up. Maya then asked Toni to pick a male islander as her partner. While the newly formed couples processed the shock, Maya explained that Toni's selection would leave one female islander single.

After some deliberation, Toni picked footballer Ben Helbrough as her match, leaving his initial partner, Shakira Khan, single. Shakira was then given 24 hours to spark a new connection; otherwise, she would have to exit the villa.

Love Island UK fans on X were displeased with the twist, wondering why the show put one islander at risk of elimination so early. Additionally, they were divided over the inclusion of an American contender, Toni, as the twist of the premiere.

"ITV dumping someone on day 2 is not the plot twist you think it is," another fan wrote.

"'new twists' AND THEY ARE DUMPING AN OG GIRL AFTER 24 HOURS?????" a netizen tweeted.

Many Love Island UK fans were displeased with the twist in the premiere and how it affected Shakira's chances of finding her match.

"The whole dumping an islander on Night 2 twist has been universally hated ever since they started doing it so I don't know why the producers keep doing it every series," a user reacted.

"shakira already at risk of being dumped…ship that american chick back to the states," a person commented.

"Shakira about to join the 'dumped before even getting a chance' club I fear," one user posted.

Other Love Island UK fans expressed a similar sentiment:

"Shakira is wayyy too pretty to leave this way so I hope she manages to steal someone (as long as it’s not Blu so Alima is safe)," a person reacted.

"Nah does this mean shakiras getting dumped? After Ben has just disrespected her like 5 times already? JUSTICE FOR HER OMGGGGG!" another netizen commented.

"You're gonna have to steal a boy of your choice" — Love Island UK host Maya Jama asks Toni to choose her partner

The 12 original cast members of Love Island UK season 12 mingled and formed connections after entering the villa, unaware of the impending twist. Soon after, the ladies were asked to stand in front of heart-shaped cut-outs, each containing a dating profile of a male islander. They had to assess their options and choose one, with the profile's owner becoming their first partner.

The first six couples of Love Island UK were Shakira and Ben, Meg and Dejon, Sophie and Harry, Helena and Conor, Alima and Blu, and Megan and Tommy. However, the dynamics changed after Maya introduced Toni, the first American cast member, to the islanders seated around the fire pit.

"Well, as you can see, there are six gorgeous couples in front of you. Earlier today, the girls chose to couple up with the boys based on dating profiles alone. You now have a very big decision to make. You're gonna have to steal a boy of your choice," Maya explained.

After some thought, Toni decided to couple up with Shakira's partner, Ben, leaving Shakira single and at risk of going home if she failed to form a new connection with any of the male islanders.

Shakira is a 22-year-old working in marketing from Burnley. She is the youngest islander in the villa this year, along with Tommy. While describing herself in her introduction package, she said she could "argue with a brick wall," and added that if arguing were an Olympic sport, she would have a gold medal.

"I will argue in your face until I have no breath left. I'm stubborn," Shakira remarked.

With that, viewers are left wondering what Shakira will do in the next 24 hours to steal someone else's partner.

Love Island UK episodes can be streamed on ITV.

About the author

Raina Saha is a pop culture writer who covers reality TV at Sportskeeda. While pursuing her master's degree in Comparative Literature, Raina explored various genres of media and later joined the field professionally, after being drawn to all things pop-culture.

Raina has previously worked on several research projects for Zee Entertainment Enterprises, analyzing TRP trends for daily soaps and has presented her research at international conferences. Although an avid follower of the entertainment world, it is the unscripted nature of reality TV that excites Raina the most, owing to its relatability, unexpected twists, and the suspense and drama the shows offer.

For Raina, diligent research and providing accurate information from authentic sources are key to her reporting process. She relies on thorough fact-checking for her stories and continuously updates data post-publication to ensure the content is relevant and accurate at all times.

Raina's favorite artist is Miley Cyrus, whose personality and career-driven attitude she admires. Growing up watching Hannah Montana and listening to Miley’s songs, Raina is thrilled by the artist’s achievements, including her first Grammy win in 2024.

Outside of work, Raina enjoys traveling, especially to the hills, and exploring different restaurants to try new dishes.

Know More

Edited by Raina Saha