The rundown of who from Love Island 2025 was scouted, and who actually applied

If you’re one of the lucky people who has made it onto Love Island, you were either scouted for the show or you applied – and for the first time in ages, the 2025 cast members had a lot who did the latter. As the years have gone on, more and more cast members have been approached by ITV casting. Less and less seem to be people who applied for the show, with a simple want to find love. But, this year it would seem more applied than were scouted!

Some had family members apply on their behalf, or they applied for previous seasons, changed their minds and then tried again. Of course, a few did get approached on Instagram, too.

Here’s a breakdown of who was scouted to take part in Love Island 2025, and which Islanders actually applied to be part of the cast.

Who was scouted for Love Island 2025?

via ITV

Five Islanders are known to have been scouted for Love Island 2025. They were: Blu, Conor, Alima and Helena. Our winning girl, Toni, is also believed to have been scouted.

Helena told The Tab she was approached, and “just thought the opportunity won’t come around again”. She explained she’s 29, and will be turning 30 soon, so thought this summer was “perfect” for finding love in the sun.

It sounds as though Conor was also scouted, as he has connections to previous winner Greg O’Shea. Conor told The Tab he spoke to Greg ahead of the show, and asked him for some advice. Greg told him to take the “opportunity”, which high-key makes it sound as though producers approached him.

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Alima is also believed to have been scouted before the show. “The opportunity came about this year,” she explained. “I thought, ‘Why not take it? You’re only young once’.”

And which Islanders actually applied for Love Island 2025?

via ITV

More Islanders applied this year. Those who followed the straight forward application route were: Harry, Meg, Ben, Megan, Dejon and Shakira.

Two of these Islanders applied to be on previous seasons, but went on this one instead. Harry Cooksley nearly won Love Island 2025, but he was almost part of a different set of Islanders. “I was going to go on [the show] a few years ago but it wasn’t the right time for me,” he told The Tab. “So I reapplied this year.” When asked why this year was the right time for him, he said he’s “30 now” so has a lot of friends who are settling down. “It felt like now or never,” Harry said.

We also very nearly didn’t have Meg and Dejon, as Meg was meant to be on the show last year. She got all the way to the end of the casting for Love Island 2024, before changing her mind.

“I was in the lineup for last year but never went on,” she told The Tab. “I applied, did some Zoom calls, went to London and did casting. It got to the point where we thought I wouldn’t fit in. It all happened really quickly. [The show] came around again this year, and I said to myself, ‘Meg you should do it now’.”

Megan also applied for the last year, but differently to the other two, she decided before the application process had started to change her mind. Last year Megan was still studying for her degree, so she finished that and then applied again.

Dejon told The Tab his sisters applied for him, after they “kept telling” him he was a “relationship person” so “should be on Love Island.” I mean, he left Love Island in a relationship, so I guess they were right!

Lauren and Ty were scouted after being ‘guinea-pig’ Islanders?!

via ITV

So, remember when Lauren and Ty coupled up for a bit and pretended they didn’t know each other? Well that was all a lie, because they apparently hooked up before the show, and this was all a result of them both being “guinea-pig” Islanders.

The pair were given their places on the show by producers, after taking part in a “dry-run” of the villa. A set of people go out to the villa, and pretend to be Islanders in a dry-run. They test the mics, camera angles and other production things.

A source told The Sun: “Ty and Lauren are acting like they’ve only just met but that’s far from the case. They hooked up during the dry run, which is where a fake cast moves into the villa to test out everything from camera angles, to kitchen appliances and run-through challenges.”

The producers were so impressed with how they did, they offered them places on the real show.

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