Former Love Island U.K. champion Jess Harding is back in the villa for Love Island: All Stars Season 3, looking for a new connection and a fresh experience. Winning the show with Sammy Root in 2023, Harding has since grown and changed, aiming to show a more confident side on her return. The new season of All Stars began airing on January 12, 2026, and fans are already sharing their thoughts on social media about Harding’s new journey.
Jess Harding’s Return to the Villa for All Stars
Jess Harding entered the original Love Island villa on Day 1 of Season 10 in 2023. She quickly coupled up with bombshell contestant Sammy Root, and after a series of challenges and public votes, they were crowned the winners on Day 58. The pair’s relationship continued outside the villa but ended a few months later in October 2023.
Now, at 25 years old, Harding is returning for another shot at love on Love Island: All Stars Season 3. In interviews before the show, she explained her reasons for coming back.
“Even though I ended up winning the series with Sammy, I felt like I had a bit of a rocky ride the first time and I feel like Iโve matured a lot more since,” Harding said.
She added that her main goal this time is to find a lasting relationship. “I really want to meet someone and settle down,” she shared.
Looking Back on the Iconic Season 10 Victory
Harding’s first journey on Love Island was full of memorable moments for viewers. Season 10 aired from June 5 to July 31, 2023, and was presented by Maya Jama. Harding and Sammy Root won the season with 34.57% of the final public vote, beating runners-up Lochan Nowacki and Whitney Adebayo.
The couple’s path to victory was not smooth. They faced challenges, including being voted one of the “least compatible” couples by other Islanders at one point, which temporarily banned them from coupling up together. Despite the ups and downs, their connection won over the public.
Reflecting on the surreal experience of winning, Harding noted the overwhelming fan support. “It was surreal – all the support as well, you don’t realize how many people are behind you, itโs lovely,” she said. She also admitted the scale of the show’s popularity surprised her: “I knew it was a big show, but I didn’t realize just how many people watched it – being recognized everywhere I went was a bit of a shock!”.
A New Mindset and Personal Growth
Harding emphasizes that she has changed a lot in the three years since her first appearance. She plans to enter the All Stars villa with more confidence and clarity about what she wants.
“I was 22, now Iโm 25,” Harding said. “I feel like every situation Iโve been in since then has been a lesson in knowing what I want and donโt want.”
She is determined not to repeat past patterns. “I donโt want to be a pushover,” she stated. “I was the nice girl in the corner. But now my confidence has grown; Iโve got a great personality, Iโm nice looking, if you donโt want me, someone else will be lucky to have me.” She hopes this message resonates with younger viewers, showing them not to let people take advantage of them.
Harding also plans to be more open-minded when meeting new people. “Being open to different types of men, different personalities, different looksโฆ you go in there very openminded and you bond really well,” she explained.
Life After Love Island and Moving Past Exes
After winning Love Island, Harding and Sammy Root announced their split in October 2023. A source close to the couple at the time said, “Jess and Sammy have called it quits. Things have changed since leaving the villa and Jess has realised they’re better off as friends”. Sammy later mentioned on a podcast that there was a lot of pressure after the show and they had a difficult week before the final breakup.
Harding had another relationship after Sammy, which ended about six months before she entered the All Stars villa. She has been open about having no hard feelings toward her ex. When asked if she would mind if Sammy walked into the All Stars villa as a bombshell, she laughed it off.
“No not really, you know me Iโm friends with everyone, no bad blood. Sammy could even walk in at this rate and I wouldnโt even turn an eye,” Harding said.
She added that Sammy is likely in a new relationship and probably would not care about her return to the show either.
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Fan Reactions and Early Predictions for All Stars
Love Island: All Stars Season 3 launched on January 12, 2026, on ITV2 and ITVX in the U.K.. For viewers in the United States, the season is streaming exclusively on Peacock.
The season is set in South Africa and will run for an extended six weeks instead of the usual five. The cast includes other notable former Islanders like Millie Court (Season 7 winner), Whitney Adebayo (Season 10 runner-up), and Shaq Muhammad.
During the launch episode, the public voted to couple Harding up with Tommy Bradley, a contestant from Season 12. Fans on social media were quick to notice a connection between the two, as they had exchanged flirty messages online before entering the villa.
This immediate pairing led some viewers to make very early predictions about the season’s outcome. Comments on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) included statements like “Watch Jess and Tommy win it” and “The only couple that makes sense is Tommy and Jess”. Some fans even expressed frustration, feeling the show was pushing a particular narrative. One viewer wrote, “They have fixed this for Super Tommy Bradley and Jess Harding to win this,” while another said, “Why are ITV pushing Jess and Tommy so hard immediately? Might as well just give them the crown now and call it a day”.
Harding herself has downplayed the pressure to win again. “I doubt Iโm going to win it again,” she said before entering. “But who knows!” She added, “I donโt feel like as pressured to win it again because Iโve already done that. Donโt get me wrong another win would be nice, double win, but Iโm not going to be sad if I donโt”.
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