If this country actually cares about romance, we’ll crown Kai and Sanam winners of Love Island 2023

When Sanam first entered the Love Island villa, it’s fair to say nobody was rooting for her. As a Casa Amor bombshell, she had one of the show’s most controversial jobs: to tempt the original boys away and break up existing couples. First she kissed Casey, then she kissed Kai. It was chaos.

But when Kai picked Sanam in the post-Casa re-coupling, his vibe shifted over night. This man had been (sorry) intensely dull. No spark, no gumption, no charisma. Yet, after knowing Sanam four days, he suddenly had the back bone to shut down Olivia’s attempts at arguments so he could go and hold hands.

On their first date, kayaking across a South African lake, Kai could not stop gushing. “We’re similar in so many different ways but you teach me so many different things,” he told Sanam before pulling her backwards across the boat so they could kiss in their life vests. It should have been an awkward move. But they were both so happy.

Yet, despite their obvious chemistry, it’s taken two more weeks for most of us to fully start to stan Kai and Sanam. At one point, they were edited out of almost every episode to make way for the Ron, Jessie, etc, drama. People on Twitter were even questioning whether they’d left the villa. We didn’t see them at all.

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Because, Kai and Sanam are always somewhere else— away from the main event, wrapped up in each other. While everyone else is screaming and arguing about who’s “fake” or “playing a game”, they’re hugging on the day bed. Laughing at each other’s jokes. At the crux of it all, they seem extremely kind.

Even Tanyel, Kai’s first couple in the Love Island villa, has said she thinks they’re the couple we should all be rooting for. “[Sanam]’s probably been the only girl in there that’s most suited to him,” she said on her Instagram stories. “She has what he’s looking for in a woman.”

Every day on Twitter, the Kai and Sanam hive is growing. “By farrrr my faves!!! So sweet and unproblematic just having a nice holiday,” wrote 2021’s best Islander Chloe Burrows. “It’s natural, there’s genuine laughter, they’re relaxed in each other’s company. Immaculate vibes,” added another viewer.

We should have seen they were the best couple ages ago. But I’m glad we’re seeing it now. Kai and Sanam should so clearly be this season’s Love Island winners. They’re the only ones who genuinely care more about each other than the actions or opinions of anyone else.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

• ‘Women are on the back foot’: Female contestants on the eye-watering cost of going on Love Island

• Brand deals and millionaires: Predicting who’s going to thrive after the Love Island villa 

• Ibiza beach clubs, Printworks closing parties: Inside Will from Love Island’s raving and misbehaving