Episode 12 of Love Island UK season 12 aired on June 20, 2025, and it was packed with drama. While the main attention was on Toni and Emily's dispute and Harry's attempts to reconnect with Shakira, many viewers saw a shift in Ben and Shakira's relationship.The two were once seen as a close pair, but their behavior in this episode made viewers question if they were more focused on control than connection. Shakira seemed to pull back from Ben, yet she continued to lead most of their conversations.Ben did not respond or try to speak up; he mostly stayed quiet while Shakira stayed in control. Their interactions quickly caught fans’ attention online. Viewers pointed out that their connection did not seem balanced. One person even called them “our big ego couple,” suggesting both were more focused on holding power than forming a real bond. Many fans took to X to share their thoughts on what they saw."Ben kissed Shakira on the head, our big ego couple," one fan wrote."Ben really likes Shakira and I don't think he's dull but he sure looks it," another user commented."SORRY but Ben is better than Harry in the sense that Ben just doesnt have the brain cells to embarrass Shakira like Harry did, so until Shakira's man enters the villa, I'd rather her with Ben, at least she can straighten him out," an X user said."Ben is stressing Shakira so much that she’s back to entertaining Harry. That’s from pan to fire," a tweet read.A few fans also said that Shakira is on Love Island UK for the “long game,” suggesting her actions are more strategic than emotional."Shakira is happier managing Harry than Ben.. Ben is actually giving her a headache.. Harry is the back-up in case she doesn’t find a new partner soon.. Shakira is playing the long game.. she doesn’t give a f*ck about both of these men," a fan wrote."Ben is irritating me to the core. He just what’s to put every woman in her place. He was with Shakira and he was saying nasty stuff behind her back and now he’s doing the same thing with Toni," another user said."Shakira and Ben need to end it now she clearly cannot stand him and he’s way too childish and boring like let’s move on," one netizen tweeted."Shakira is not wrong for ending things with Ben," a tweet read.Other episode highlights from Love Island UK episode 12Episode 12 of Love Island UK featured several tense moments beyond Ben and Shakira’s changing dynamic. The main confrontation came from Toni and Emily, whose ongoing tension finally came to a head. Speaking to Meg and Dejon, Toni shared her frustration about Emily’s constant positivity:“I can’t stand to listen to her… ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ all the time,” she shared.During their argument, she told Emily to “read the room,” while Emily defended herself by saying, “Some people just want to cause a problem.” Toni also clarified that her issues were not related to Conor.Elsewhere in Love Island UK villa, Harry reflected on his past decisions and approached Shakira to admit his regret. “I think initially you were number one and I f****d it,” he said. Shakira told him she still had feelings for him but added that his past behaviour was the reason she could not easily move forward.Fans can watch the latest episodes of Love Island UK streaming on ITVX.