Love Island 2023: have any previous winning couples chosen to steal the £50,000 cash prize?

Love Island is set to return to our screens on Monday, 16 January - and fans are excited to watch the drama unfold inside the South African villa.

ITV has blessed us with extra reality television this year, as they air the first winter instalment of Love Island since 2020, as well as the annual summer instalment later in the year.

Viewers have already been introduced to the first 10 contestants and Love Island: The Morning After podcast hosts Sam Thompson and Indiyah Polack, who recently offered their opinions on the good looking singletons.

Today, ITV announced that for the first time ever Love Island fans are invited to choose which bombshell will be first to enter the Cape Town villa - will it be semi pro footballer Tom, 23, or business development executive Ellie Spencer, 25?

At the end of the series - after many weeks in the sun, brutal dumpings, a lot of drama and some sweet romance - one couple will be crowned the winners of Love Island series nine.

Now usually, the winning couple are handed two envelopes during the live final, with one containing £50,000 and the other containing £0.

Whoever opens the envelope that contains the prize money has the choice to ‘split’ the cash with their other half or ‘steal’, meaning they take home the full £50,000 - and probably go home single.

However, last year, the iconic ‘split or steal’ element was cut from the final, and series eight winners Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Samclimenti shared the £50,000 cash prize - without a choice!

Let’s take a look at the winning couples from series one to seven, and see if they choose to split or steal.

Jess Hayes and Max Morley

Jess was coupled up with Jordan Ring, Josh Ritchie and Omar Sultain before Max arrived on day 14 and turned her head.

Jess and Max were only coupled up for eight days before winning the final.

In series one, the thing’s played out a little differently as Jess and Max got to choose if they were in it for ‘love or money’. They both choose love, and split the prize fund.

The pair split just 40-days after the series, and Jess later admitted that she regretted splitting the money.

Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey

Cara and Nathan coupled up on day one in the Majorcan villa and stayed together throughout.

On day 45, the pair were crowned winners of Love Island season two - and Cara was left holding the envelope containing the cash prize.

She chose to split the £50,000 with Nathan. Fast forward six-years and the couple are now married with two children; Freddie and Delilah.

Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay

Amber and Kem both entered the villa on day one, and coupled up with Harley Judge and Chloe Crowhurst respectively.

The pair then chose to couple up on day six and had a pretty smooth run until the dreaded Casa Amor. Kem came back from the second villa with Chyna Ellis, whilst Amber had also decided to couple up with a newbie, Nathan Joseph.

The pair spent another number of days apart - coupled up with Jonny Mitchell and Georgia Harrison - before finding their way back together on day 41.

Ten-days later they were crowned winners of Love Island season three and Kem chose to split the money with Amber.

Their relationship didn’t last long on the outside and the pair split in December 2017.

Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham

Dani and Jack coupled up on day one in the villa and stayed together throughout series four.

After 59 days, the pair were crowned winners and Jack, who was handed the £50,000 envelope, decided to split the money with his girlfriend.

However, the pair went their separate ways in April - less than a year after their successful stint on the show.

Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea

Amber entered the villa on day one and coupled up with Callum Macleod and Anton Danyluk, before settling (almost) with Michael Griffiths.

However, following Casa Amor and Michael’s choice to recouple with Joanna Chimonides, Amber was left single.

She coupled up with new boy Ovie Soko, before Greg entered on day 43. Greg chose to take Amber on a date, and their relationship blossomed from there.

Two-weeks after Greg’s arrival, the pair were crowned winners of series five.

Greg, who had only been in the villa for 15 days, was left with the power in his hands - and like all other couples so far, he chose to split the £50,000.

Paige Turley and Finn Tapp

Paige entered the villa on day one and was coupled up with Ollie Williams. However Ollie chose to leave on day five, and Paige became single.

Lucky for her, Finn entered as a bombshell and took the singleton on a date.

The pair stayed coupled up despite both Luke Mabbott and Wallace Wilson taking Paige on dates.

On day 43, Finn and Paige were crowned winners of the first winter series - and the latter got to choose what to do with the £50,000 prize fund.

Paige unshockingly split the money, and the couple remain together now, living a lavish lifestyle.

Millie Court and Liam Reardon

Liam entered the villa on day four, and was coupled with Faye Winters until bombshell Millie entered on day nine and chose him for a date.

Millie and Liam stayed together hroughout, even though Liam’s head was almost turned by Lillie Haynes in Casa Amor.

On day 58, Millie and Liam received the highest amount of public votes and were crowned the winners of the seventh series.

Millie was the lucky one, and opened the envelope containing £50,000. She chose to split the prize money with her then-boyfriend - not knowing it was the last series which would feature the ‘split or steal’ element.

Millie and Liam bought a dreamy house with their prize money, but announced their split a year after the show in July 2022. Millie now lives with fellow islander Chloe Burrows.