Love Island SHOCK as it’s revealed only SIX contestants actually applied for the show

1 August 2019, 08:24 | Updated: 1 August 2019, 08:26

Only six contestants were chosen by applications this year. Picture: ITV

By Naomi Bartram

Only a handful of this year's Love Island stars applied for the show - and winner Amber Gill wasn't one of them.

While thousands of reality TV hopefuls will be working on their Love Island 2020 applications as we speak, it turns out bagging a spot on the show could be harder than you think.

In fact, it’s now been revealed only SIX of this year’s contestants were chosen through the application process.

While around 98,000 people actually applied to be on the fifth series - which was won on Monday by Amber Gill and Greg O'Shea - most of the contestants were found by the show's casting team or put forward by their agents.

ITV Chief Executive Carolyn McCall confirmed: "On series five of Love Island to date (15 July), there have been 36 contributors.

"Twenty-four were found and cast by the programme's casting team, six were put forward by professional agents and six came through the general application process."

According to The Mirror, air hostess Amy Hart, 26, firefighter Michael Griffiths, 27, and sandwich shop owner Joe Garratt, 22, all applied via the general advertised process, as well as finalist Ovie Soko, 28.

Meanwhile, runner-up Molly-Mae Hague is a social media star with thousands of followers and Curtis Pritchard was a dancer on the Irish version of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing With The Stars.

The likes of India Reynolds, Jourdan Riane, Danny Williams, Arabella Chi and Jordan Hames were also all successful models before joining the line up, and Tommy Fury is the brother of famous boxing champion Tyson Fury.

Curtis was already famous before joining the Love Island line up. Picture: ITV

Former Islander Sherif Lanre, who was kicked out of the villa last month, previously confessed he was also approached to join the show.

He told Closer magazine: "I was scouted no more than three weeks ago, I literally [had] no time to think about it.

"I went straight into the shoots, straight into filming.

"I was working close to the ITV studio, I was going to get lunch and I just turned round and one of the execs was like, 'Hi, have you heard of Love Island?'

"There was so much racing through my head. He asked for my details. I walked back to eat my food and had someone texting me, asking, 'Can you come in to do some initial filming?'

He added: "Fast forward three weeks, and here I am."

Applications for the next series are thought to open very soon as it returns in less than six months for an extra special winter version of the show.