Fans of Love Island could be forgiven for thinking that 2024 stars Harriett Blackmore and Ronnie Vint’s relationship won’t last long. The pair had only just reconnected – following Ronnie’s short-lived romance with Tiffany Leighton – when they were brutally dumped from the villa after being named the least popular couple.
But as professional dancer Harriett, 24, and Ronnie, 27, chat to Closer, the chemistry between the duo is clear, as she rests her head on the semi-professional footballer’s shoulder and the couple giggle and smile adoringly at one another as they chat. We’re totally convinced! Here, we get the latest goss from the couple as they spill the tee on what really went on in the villa…
What’s the plan when it comes to you two?
Ronnie: It’s been really good. We’ve been talking non-stop – Harriett’s barely left me alone! We’ve got a few dates in the diary and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens.
Harriett: It’s been difficult adjusting from being with someone 24/7, but we’re just continuing to learn more about each other.
What have you learnt about each other?
R: That if I don’t reply to one of Harriett’s texts within 10 minutes, then she’s going to send someone to hunt me down!
What has life been like since leaving the villa?
R: It’s been crazy. From the moment we landed in the airport, we were getting asked for photos. This is all new to us, but overall it’s been really positive. Most of the comments are sharing the love, so that’s all we could hope for.
H: A few former Islanders have been in touch saying that they’re gutted we’ve left because they wanted us to win. That’s especially lovely to hear because they know what the process is like.
Do you wish that you’d stayed for Casa Amor?
R: It would have been cool. We wanted to do the whole experience together. I feel like our journey was just starting and that got taken away from us.
Who were you closest to in the villa?
R: Whenever I wasn’t with Harriett, I would be spending time with Joey [Essex]. We used to get in trouble at lunchtimes for trying to speak in code about the situations, and the producers would separate us.
H: Joey was the boy I was closest to in the villa, so we formed a nice little trio. At the beginning I was super-close with Samantha [Kenny] and Patsy [Field] – Samantha was actually the first person I called when I left the villa. Grace [Jackson] and Matilda [Draper] are very similar to my friends from home, so we got on really well too when they entered the villa.
Harriett, you and Jess [White] had quite a fraught friendship in the villa. Where do you stand now?
H: I’ve never had a problem with Jess. Obviously coming out and seeing what she’s been saying about me hasn’t been nice, and if I’d known maybe I would have taken a different approach in the villa. Our relationship was quite one-sided – I tried to be the bigger person and be nice to her, but she obviously didn’t feel the same way.
What about you and Ciaran [Davies], after his comments at the fire pit that you’d only ever been second or third choice?
H: Ciaran and I were actually quite good friends in the villa, although we would bicker. I actually think he’s a lovely boy and not a bad person at all, but he just doesn’t think before he speaks sometimes. I don’t agree with what he said, but I don’t hate him for it.
Will you be watching the rest of this series?
R: I won’t be watching back past episodes, but I’ll try to keep up to date and see what my boys are up to and who’s running riot without me!
It looks like all of them!
H: When we were in the villa, we thought we knew who the strongest couples were, but Casa Amor completely changed that. We wanted Mimi [Ngulube] and Ayo [Odukoya] to win, or Matilda and Sean [Stone], but now we’re not sure.
Why won’t you be watching back your key moments on the show?
H: We watched a lot of them on Aftersun, but that was actually quite excruciating.
R: We lived it, so we don’t need to see it!
Ronnie, you’re close mates with former Islander Olivia Attwood. What advice did she give you before you entered the villa?
R: In my last phone call with her, she nearly teared up. Other than marrying Bradley [Dack] she says that it was the best experience that she’s ever had and has nothing, but positive memories from it. She just told me to have fun.
What were your favourite moments?
H: I’d been asking for the heart race challenge for ages. And even though the producers pushed me out the door and made me do it first, I actually loved it. I was helping the girls with their routines all day. Plus, to finish my own routine with the splits set a very high bar for everyone else!
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Daisy Hall is a News and Entertainment writer across heat, Closer, Grazia, Bella, Yours and Crime Monthly magazines. Go on, ask her anything about Love Island - she'll know the answer!