Love Island fans won't need us to tell them that the final few couples have been on quite a journey inside the Love Island 2023 villa. We've seen break-ups, make-ups, heads turn, rows, and we've even seen love (surprise surprise).
One couple who have literally (okay, not literally) been sat on a Love Island rollercoaster from the moment they first laid eyes on each other are newly-crowned winners Jess Harding and bombshell Sammy Root, who left the villa £50,000 richer last night (Monday 31 July 2023) in a nail-biting head-to-head with runners-up Whitney Adebayo and Lochan Nowacki.
Although, admittedly, our fave didn't win (Whitney on her own), we have a lot of love for Jess and Sammy and reckon we've come up nine reasons to justify their victory.
Hop on their rollercoaster and hear us out.
They have been on the biggest journey
From initial attraction to Sammy's big 'Will you be my girlfriend?' spectacle, this relationship has been a RIDE for everyone involved – including the viewers. But look what's come out the other end: L-O-V-E – and £50,000.
Jess is literally all of us
Okay, again, not literally, but the viewers have fallen in love with her; from her headstrong attitude, to her deep, deep feels, to virtually everything she has said on camera over the last two months – she's a bit of us.
They are all of our lights at the end of the tunnel
It's nice to see a relationship face multiple hurdles (come on, this is Love Island), openly discuss the problems, work on them, learn from them, and then come out the other end stronger, better, and closer. This has been their relationship in a nutshell. A glimmer of hope for all us tragic singletons...
That 'WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?' moment was just TOO cute
Even though he copped out and asked the entire villa to ask Jess for him, it was still dead cute.
They brought the drama
If it had been plain sailing from day one, you'd all be complaining. Where's the lie?
It's giving growth
Similar to his bestie Tyrique Hyde, Sammy has grown before our eyes on the show and his relationship with Jess is undoubtedly the magic behind that.
Their parents are icons
We just want to watch them all go on Coach Trip or Come Dine With Me together. Also, Jess's mum telling her that her girls aren't feeling Sammy – iconic shade that only a mum could throw and get away with.
Jess is a girls' girl
We just feel like we could tell her our deepest, darkest secrets and then go on a night out in Revolution with her – and we haven't even met her yet.
The four things that give Jess the 'ick'
We actually learned these prior to Jess entering the villa back in June and, frankly, we're still not over them.
Jess told producers, "When a guy stunts for money, that’s an ick. Showing off all their designer clothes because most of the time they’re probably fake anyway!
"Another one is when a boy runs for the train and the train goes without him. Lunch boxes, also - just go to Tesco and get a meal deal," she added.
LOL.
Weirdly, we can vividly picture Sammy running for a train with a lunchbox in tow.