An ode to Lochan Nowacki: The unproblematic king of the Love Island villa

It’s not often you watch Love Island and legitimately think, you know what? I’d date him. Usually, a horrifying show case of toxic male behaviour, head fuckery and gaslighting, you couldn’t drag me to dinner with one of the contestants. But not this year. Because Casa Amor came up with the goods and injected a gorg little star called Lochan into the proceedings.

God bless us, everyone. Lochan treats Whitney like a queen. Has her laughing every hour of the day. His communication skills are immaculate – and he never lets them be put down as a couple or dragged into anyone else’s drama. This man is attractive and unproblematic. A total rarity.

It was all good signs with Lochan from the minute we stalked his Instagram and realised how close he is with his mum. We’re talking holidays, happy hour, and gym trips together. And you only had to take one look at the way he held her arm as she waltzed into the Love Island villa to know she’s the total main character of the Nowacki family. She raised him right, slay.

Fundamentally, Lochan appears to (also rare) value women’s opinions of him as much as men’s. Meaning, because he’s not bending over backwards for the validation of the boys group— he’s the only man willing to stand up to the villa’s most overbearing testosterone presence: Tyrique.

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“Why are you piping up as usual?” Lochan asked him when Tyrique had a problem with him gossiping about villa drama with Whitney (his divine right). “Can’t you speak to someone normally?” he asked, as Tyriqe sat agog, tried to turn on Whitney, but was once again put in his place with the eternally classy and protective line: “Don’t speak to her like that, speak to me.”

To put it simply, Lochan is on his king shit. But that doesn’t mean he’s confrontational. Generally, he’s actually fitted in with the boys so well most of us forgot he even came from Casa Amor. He just isn’t insecure enough to let their opinions change his behaviour. Fundamentally, he has a solid backbone and knows what he wants.

And, repeatedly, he’s shown what he wants is Whitney. He hasn’t messed with her head, explored other options for the sake of it or made her feel insecure. After careful consideration he asked her to be exclusive: “But only if that’s what you want, too.” No pressure. The soft life she deserves.

There’s no escaping the toxicity of Ella and Tyrique’s relationship has been the dramatic lifeblood of the Love Island 2023 season. But Lochan has proved you don’t need to either be a total dick (a la Adam Collard) or a total wet wipe (sorry, Dr Alex) to establish a villa personality.

You can be nice, respectful, and alpha, too. And oh my god is it hot.

Love Island 2023 is on ITV2 and ITVX. For all the latest Love Island Grafties news and gossip and for the best memes and quizzes, like The Holy Church of Love Island on Facebook. 

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