Remember the early days of Love Island when the entire cast was full of normal people?
The most well known Islanders were Miss GBs, Prince Harry's rumoured ex-flame or Danny Dyer's daughter. Those were the days.
Nowadays the Islanders walk in with thousands of followers - Molly-Mae Hague, Jourdan Riane and Joey Essex (lol) all spring to mind - and if anything, it's weird if they don't have a following.
As we said, it's been something that consumes our minds whenever Love Island is on TV and over the years we've grilled the Islanders about how they got on the show - whether they applied on the ITV website, were scouted or had an agent. We've also asked them for advice for the application process because no one ever really talks about it...
So if you're planning on applying for Love island 2025 or you just want a nosy, sit back, grab a cup of drink and get ready to hear some serious Love Island tea...
Former Love Island stars reveal how they were approached for the show
Anton Danyluk
Love Island 2019's Anton Danyluk was one of the six contestants on series five who actually applied for the show. He exclusively told Closer Online, 'I went through the whole application process. I did the first one-minute video and from there I met producers, then I had a medical and then I met the executive producers and then I was ready to go.'
Belle Hassan
Casa Amor bombshell Belle Hassan revealed it was her famous dad Tamer Hassan who helped get her on the show.
'I had a conversation with my dad and he asked me if I wanted to do the show. I didn't really think much of it and before I knew it one of his friends [got me in contact] with someone at ITV and then I did the audition and started the application process,' she told us.
Amy Hart
Amy Hart was another star who actually applied for the show but as it turns out, her little brother was reluctant for her to go on the reality show.
'We're quite a close family and my little brother wasn't happy with me to start with because of all the trolling and his friends having to watch me on TV.
'But by the time I went on there everyone was really supportive. I was actually really lucky - I found out six weeks before I went [in the villa],' she told us.
Joe Garratt
Similar to Anton, former sandwich maker Joe Garratt was another Islander from that series that actually applied. Speaking to us, he recalled, 'I sent a video in and had like 3/4 interviews. I had medicals and stuff like that. It's a proper rigorous process.'
Sherif Lanre
Despite being booted out the villa it seems Love Island bosses were keen to get Sherif Lanre on the show because they actually approached him. Before going into the villa he told Closer magazine, 'I was scouted no more than three weeks ago, I literally [had] no time to think about it. I went straight into the shoots, straight into filming.
'I was working close to the ITV studio, I was going to get lunch and I just turned round and one of the execs was like, "Hi, have you heard of Love Island?" There was so much racing through my head. He asked for my details. I walked back to eat my food and had someone texting me, asking, "Can you come in to do some initial filming?"
'Fast forward three weeks, and here I am.'
Paul Knops
Love Island 2018 star Paul Knops admitted that it was one of his friends who got him on the show.
'Initially I was approached by a friends who was going on another show and they put me forward to go on that show. So I went in and spoke to the producers for that and then they said they will keep me in mind for Love Island.
'I was away on holiday and they gave me a call and they said "Can you come on the show, we need you to leave tomorrow" and it was for Casa Amor,"' he told us.
Paul went on to say, 'I said "No it wasn't the right time for me" and then over the course of the next two weeks I had a few messages for them and I just decided I'd give it a go.'
Kem Cetinay
Love Island 2017 winner Kem Cetinay actually got scouted on Instagram. He explained, 'I had a barber Instagram where I did my tutorials and it was quite big, it was doing really well. Then they messaged me off that randomly and was like do you want to come in.
'I still went through the whole process; I did the audition, questionnaires and some of the video camera shots.'
Chris Hughes
Chris Hughes got on the show by simply applying on the ITV website, 'I was one of the very few – I remember talking to some of the producers and executives after the show – who did the whole thing.
'I signed up online, went through all the stages, did the questionnaires. I did the standard protocol, I was never approached.'
Kendall Rae Knight
Kendall Rae Knight followed in the footsteps as Chris and went online to get on the show.
'I applied just through the ITV website. I was just normal; I worked at a shoe shop no one approached me and I didn't have an agent. I went through all the stages,' she told us at the NTAs.
Sam Bird
Sam Bird was actually set to go on another show, luckily things didn't work out and he went on Love Island instead. He revealed to us at the NTAs, 'I got approached for a different show - Survival of the Fittest - and I was meant to go on that but it didn't happen.
'The producers [who work on both the shows] said try Love Island instead. I said "alright" and then I auditioned, so I kind of got approached.'
Megan Barton Hanson
Megan Barton Hanson was already popular on Instagram and that grabbed the producers attention. She admitted, 'I never had an agent but I had an Instagram and I had quite a few followers on it so I just got picked up that way.
'I was really hesitant at first because obviously Instagram is your filtered, photoshopped best version of yourself and I was like "I'm happy to share that but do I actually want to go on national TV with everyone seeing me with no make-up on?" but I'm glad I did it.'
Samira Mighty
Samira Mighty's admitted that she was actually meant to go on Love Island back in 2017.
'I was meant to go on last year as a bombshell and it just didn't work out. Then I got Dreamgirls and one of the producers watched it and I was just chatting to him and then I went in [to audition] a couple of times and then got on Love Island.'
Alexandra Cane
Alexandra Cane had an agent and she'd appeared in Giggs' music video before her Love Island stint and that helped her get on the show.
'I got an interview through my current agent but I knew him prior to going on the show - from being a makeup artist. So he put me forward for the show,' she told us.
Eyal Booker
We're sensing a theme here because Eyal Booker is another star who got on the show through Instagram.
'I got approached through Instagram but then I had to audition for it. It kind of happened a few years in a row but I just kept umming and ahhing and then [2018] just felt like the right time.'
Ovie Soko
Surprisingly one of the hottest ever Love Island contestant - series five's - Ovie Soko wasn't scouted or approached - he applied himself. He said on This Morning, 'I went in because of my big brother, funnily enough. Because I'm always sort of travelling and stuff because of basketball, I'm only ever really around in the summer times.
'I came back and Love Island always seems to be the big deal and he was like, "Man, you'd be great on that show if you went on there'" and I didn't think anything of it. I ended up applying when I had some downtime and yeah, now I'm sort of here.'
Former Love Island stars share their audition process tips
If you fancy going on Love Island then you can apply on the ITV website but before you go anywhere make sure you read the former Love Island contestants tips for the audition process...
Megan Barton Hanson
Bombshell Megan admitted that the audition process is 'really fun', she told us, 'The producers were really lovely and I think you just have to be honest, open and tell them exactly what you want.
'I was so honest about the nightmare dates I had and how scatty and clumsy I am and I think they love it. You can't put on an act they're going to see through it so just be yourself.'
Alexandra Cane
Alexandra has given a few tips to win over the producers.
'If you're going to do a show reel for the show make it really fun, eye-catching. Do it in a day in the life of you, so they can see every aspect of you. From the minute you wake up to the minute you go to sleep and a typical night out.
'So they're seeing all sides of your personality. I think it's a great way to get their attention.'
Sam Bird
Want to know what Sam suggest for Love Island? He told us, 'If you get on to Love Island be honest and don't hold back. Don't be afraid to show your feelings because you haven't got long. If you like someone just go for it and if it doesn't work out at least you tried because you haven't got long.'
Samira Mighty
Samira has said to expect nothing and have a laugh while you're in there.
'Have a lot of personality because you're not going to get anywhere with no personality. Also go in expecting the unexpected. Don't expect much. Don't go in and be like 'I'm going to win' because you just need to have fun.
'It's serious in there but have fun and when you go to the interview just be fun. Be yourself.'
Eyal Booker
Eyal Booker also revealed what happens during the Love Island auditions.
'You're sat in a room with 50 other guys filling out a form and they take you in one by one. Then it's just call back after call back, meeting with this person and that person, filming you filming you filming you and then all of a sudden they're like you're going on the show tomorrow.
'We weren't allowed to tell anyone in case it got out in the press so I told my closest friends.'
How to apply for Love Island?
So although a lot of the Islanders are scouted from Instagram, not all of them are and if you want to follow in their footsteps all you need to do it apply on the ITV website.