It has been the most watched series to date of the reality TV series Love Island – but who will take the crown next week?
The contestants on the ITV2 dating show have been watched closely by fans since the beginning of June, who have been voting to save their favourites.
But with a cash prize at stake, it is not always easy to tell who has the most ‘genuine’ connection.
MailOnline asked relationship psychologist Dr Audrey Tang to analyse the final five couples and reveal who she thinks deserves to win the £50,000 in the final on Monday.
She believes that Indiyah Polack, 23, and Dami Hope, 26, are the most genuine couple in the villa.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, she said: ‘A healthy relationship is made of two emotionally healthy people who can continue to grow together, and be able to put in the effort to do so for themselves and each other.
‘A game show may certainly create a relationship, but it may be made out of something completely different.
‘They are hard enough work without the additional scrutiny and opinions of others, along with the pressure of being on camera 24/7.
‘One might be able to argue, if a relationship can survive that, then perhaps it really does have a chance.’
And while Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, 27, and Davide Sanclimenti, 27, are the favourites to win, Dr Tang claims that they are too insecure to make it last outside the villa.
MailOnline asked relationship psychologist Dr Audrey Tang to analyse the final five couples and who she thinks deserves to win the £50,000 in the final of Love Island on Monday
After analysing each relationship, Dr Tang believes that Indiyah and Dami have the most genuine connection and should win this year’s Love Island
According to UCL-trained psychologist turned author Dr Tang, a relationship is genuine if there is a sense of ‘psychological safety’ between the two parties.
She said: ‘Even if one is in a bad mood, they can separate that from their interactions.
‘Psychological safety is also about an environment where people can be authentic, where they can express their feelings.
‘Even if the other doesn’t agree, they can be sure of getting a response which is empathetic.
‘If there is an issue they discuss it amongst themselves and, while they may look to others as a sounding board, it is always with a view to resolution rather than bad mouthing or “winning” over the other.’
The individuals must also show signs of mutual respect and trust towards each other, and validate any ‘offerings’ the other may put forward.
‘This could be through compliments, kindness or shows of vulnerability,’ she added.
An example of this is shown when Dami and Indiyah said ‘I love you’ to each other for the first time.
She said: ‘To me, Dami has all the reservations of a bloke but he is willing to make these offers towards Indiyah. He does expect a return, and she gives it.
‘He called Indiyah out when she said “love you” and she corrected herself.
‘Indiyah is a strong woman, Dami is a strong man and respectful of her.’
The contestants on the IT2 dating show have been watched closely by fans since the beginning of June, who have been voting to save their favourites. But with a cash prize at stake, it is not always easy to tell who has the most ‘genuine’ connection
Gemma and Luca
Gemma Owen, 19, and Luca Bish, 23, have been coupled up since the start of the series, historically putting them in good stead to be winners.
However, viewers have been concerned with Luca showing ‘gaslighting’ behaviour towards Gemma while in the villa, reducing his popularity.
This is when one party makes the other mistrust their own perceptions of a situation, often to avoid accountability for what happened.
But Dr Tang believes that some of these characteristics may have been mislabelled with Luca.
‘For example, the claim that “Luca was gaslighting Gemma over her flirting”,’ she said.
‘Gaslighting is a “long game” and deliberate, but realistically this instance can be broken down and resolved by talking about what “flirting” means to both of them.
‘If their definitions of flirting are not acceptable to each other, that is when the couple needs to negotiate.’
Gemma Owen, 19, and Luca Bish, 23, (pictured) have been coupled up since the start of the series, historically putting them in good stead to be winners
She also notes that Luca has been seen to copy the behaviour and opinions of his peers.
Dr Tang said: ‘This can be problematic for the person because they don’t really form their own sense of self.
‘As such, I would worry about him being ready to be the person he would want to be in any relationship at the moment.’
Dr Tang thinks that the fact Gemma has been measured in her responses to Luca’s advances suggests she is more genuine.
She said: ‘She processed what Davide said when he said her head “could be turned with someone really special” – and her agreement was simply an honest response.’
However the psychologist remains unconvinced about Luca, as his behaviour suggests he wants someone who is ‘100 per cent in’ when it comes to being with him.
She said: ‘Whatever Luca’s feelings are, he is often defensive over his ego, and that alone is enough to hinder a connection with what he really feels or perhaps would want.’
Viewers have been concerned with Luca showing ‘gaslighting’ behaviour towards Gemma while in the villa, reducing his popularity. But Dr Tang believes that some of these characteristics may have been mislabelled with Luca
Ekin-Su and Davide
Islanders Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, 27, and Davide Sanclimenti, 27, were together near the start of the series, before coupling up with other people to explore different connections.
They have since overcome their initial differences and reunited, but Dr Tang is still not sure if they would make a good match.
She said: ‘They are both outspoken, they are both fiery and both really very funny.
‘But I would question if they both have a need for reassurance too much that they may struggle giving it to each other unconditionally.
‘Sometimes we project our insecurities onto others, and in always pushing outwards we don’t have time to look at why we are feeling so insecure.’
Dr Tang says that Ekin-Su and Davide are both ‘outspoken’ but also require reassurance from each other. She said: ‘Sometimes we project our insecurities onto others, and in always pushing outwards we don’t have time to look at why we are feeling so insecure’
Individuals in a ‘genuine’ relationship must show signs of mutual respect and trust towards each other, and validate any ‘offerings’ the other may put forward
A study from Ohio State University found that anxiety in a relationship can actually make you physically ill.
Coupled-up participants with high attachment anxiety produced, on average, 11 per cent more cortisol – a hormone associated with stress – than those who weren’t so anxious.
They also found that the more anxious people were also less able to fight off infection, as they had up to 22 per cent T- cells than less anxiously attached partners.
Paige and Adam
Paige Thorne, 24, and Adam Collard, 26, coupled up two weeks ago, after Paige had been with another contestant, Jacques, who chose to leave the competition.
Dr Tang said: ‘Paige is another one that I liked as I felt she was genuinely looking for love.
‘I didn’t know if she’d find it, and I’m not sure again if Adam is the most healthy choice, but I wouldn’t necessarily say Jacques was either.’
Viewers accused Jacques of bullying Ekin-Su, and Adam has history of gaslighting women on the programme.
‘Paige is a carer, she may also be a “fixer” – which can sometimes lead people to think they can help someone change,’ the relationship expert added.
Dr Audrey Tang believes that Paige Thorne, 24, went on Love Island to genuinely look for love
Paige was previously coupled up with Jacques, who flirted with other contestants when Paige was away. ‘Paige is a carer, she may also be a ‘fixer’ – which can sometimes lead people to think they can help someone change,’ said Dr Tang
‘Fixers are often people who might, because of what they have been through, be seeking a “corrective experience”.’
‘Corrective experience’ was coined by psychoanalysts Franz Gabriel Alexander and Thomas Morton French in 1946.
It is where someone is re-exposed to emotional situations which he could not handle in the past.
‘If Paige, by the nature of her job as a paramedic, is always directing and solving and fixing, she may find it harder to separate her skills from her strengths as a person,’ said Dr Tang.
‘While any declarations of love may be ‘genuine’ in the sense that Paige or Adam felt it and believed it at the time they said it, I don’t think either of them have been able to process their previous experiences within the whirlwind that got them together.’
Indiyah and Dami
Indiyah and Dami were initially paired up with other people by the public, but chose to couple up with each other later in the process.
But when both of them chose to re-couple with new islanders after Indiyah spent a few days in a different villa, Casa Amor, they were briefly on bad terms.
However they eventually forgave one another, and have since appeared strong.
Dr Tang said: ‘They have been “on-off”, but you’re condensing the whole development of a relationship into 8 weeks, isn’t it sensible to have a couple of kisses with other people!?’
Researchers from Oxford University found that, biologically, humans need to kiss as many people as possible to size up future mates.
After observing their interactions, the psychologist believes Dami and Indiyah do have genuine feelings for each other.
She said: ‘I like Indiyah’s honesty, and Dami’s own personality seems to have softened where he does listen to the boys.
‘He also is happy to change his opinion or retract what he has said with new evidence.
‘Those behaviours as individuals seem conducive to a healthy relationship with anybody.’
Tasha and Andrew
Tasha Ghouri, 23, and Andrew Le Page, 27, were paired up at the very beginning of this year’s Love Island, but have since encountered some tests.
Despite coupling up with other islanders, and Andrew being intimate with Casa Amor contestant Coco, they have also found their way back together.
‘From the conversations I’ve seen, I’m not getting that either is convinced by each other,’ said Dr Tang.
However, in the episode where each couple must look after a plastic baby for a day, she did note a moment of ‘purity and empathy’ from Andrew.
Tasha has been open about having a cochlear implant from the first episode, and refers to it as her ‘super power’.
She said: ‘For Andrew to tell the baby about mummy’s “super power” – that was actually something anyone with a disability needed to know – and that says quite a lot about Andrew as a person.
‘If that was unprompted – and I don’t think the producers could really set that up – that was a lovely moment.’
Dr Tang noted that Andrew showed genuine empathy towards Tasha when he told their pretend child about her cochlear implant, which she refers to as her ‘super power’
So, who should win Love Island?
After analysing each relationship, Dr Tang believes that Indiyah and Dami have the most genuine connection and should win this year’s Love Island.
She said: ‘What I like about this couple is that we see them in seemingly quite relaxed conversation – and that conversation is two-way.
‘You can see them both listening to each other and learning from each other; they will change their opinions and they will also be happy to hear what the other person has to say.’
On Indiyah and Dami (pictured), Dr Tang said: ‘You can see them both listening to each other and learning from each other; they will change their opinions and they will also be happy to hear what the other person has to say.’
Dr Tang added: ‘They are acknowledged as a relatively solid couple in the house with Dami being saved twice by the islanders.
‘I think they have the most potential outside the island.’
Relationship coach Sam Owen says the lack of outside opinions from loved ones can both help and hinder any romance.
‘If your family hold you down and/or they see you in a way that the rest of the world doesn’t, then it can be of great benefit to get to know one another away from them,’ she said.
‘You can be your authentic self and judge who your partner is, yourself, rather than your opinions being shaped by those who sabotage you or, ironically, don’t really know you.
‘Equally, friends and family who have your best interests at heart and who really know you, will have the mental clarity because they’re not the ones in the romance.
‘They may recognise that your new partner doesn’t empower you or respect you or that you’re not being you’re true self around them.’
Dr Tang believes that Davide and Ekin-Su’s outgoing personalities will win them the show
Who will win Love Island?
As a change from previous seasons, this year the viewers were asked to pair up the original couples rather than the contestants picking their partners themselves.
Dr Tang believes that this could have a bearing on the popularity of the couples, in a way that does not reflect the strength of their relationship.
‘The very first game mechanic seemed already to set the contestants up to fail,’ said Dr Tang.
‘This is problematic from the beginning because now the viewer is invested in the coupling, not necessarily because they are a good match, but because the viewer put them together.
‘If the couple then chooses to look elsewhere, this is met with upset from the “invested” viewer.
‘So I think Ekin-Su and Davide will win because their personalities have resonated with the audiences.’
Davide and Ekin-Su are also the bookies favourite, with PaddyPower setting their odds of winning at 2/9.
The gambling site put Andrew and Tasha next at 8/1, followed by Adam and Paige who are into 9/1.
Luca and Gemma have slid out of contention with 10/1 and, despite Dr Tang’s analysis, they predict Dami and Indiyah are least likely to win with odds of 14/1.
Is love at first sight real? Perfectly-matched couples become biologically in sync within 2 MINUTES of a date, study finds
A new study suggests the actual time for romance to blossom is around two minutes.
Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have investigated how skin sweat and physical movements change when men and women meet during speed dating.
Couples who were interested in each other romantically had similar skin sweat rates – an indicator of being biologically ‘in sync’ – within two minutes, they found.
But women are more attracted to in-sync men, than men are attracted to in-sync women, the experts claim.
Interested couples also synchronised their physical movements throughout the date – such as smiling, nodding and moving arms and legs.
This illustration shows the experimental set-up – volunteers were filmed as they had a date lasting five minutes. Electrodermal activity was also recorded using wristbands
