Love Island fans convinced new contestant is TV star's 'doppelganger'

The 2024 series of the dating show has started on ITV

From ITV

Love Island SR11 on ITV2 and ITVX

Pictured: Samantha Kenny 

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Samantha Kenny is one of the contestants on Love Island 2024. (ITV)

Love Island viewers are convinced one of the new singles is the spitting image of Abbey Clancy.

The new series of the dating show started on ITV on Monday (June 3), with the latest crop of hopefuls who are looking for love moving into the villa. Fans were gripped by the usual mix of poolside banter, story-swapping and swimwear, but many were distracted by the fact that one of the contestants, Samantha Kenny, resembled TV star and model Clancy.

Plenty of people posted messages on social media after Kenny arrived at the villa, with one insisting on X: "It's Abbey Clancy!"

"Looks like Abbey Clancy…." one viewer wrote on X, as someone else said: "Samantha is like a mix of Abby Clancy and Meredith Grey (Grey's Anatomy)."

Abbey Clancy arriving for a special screening of Damian Hurley's Strictly Confidential at Everyman Chelsea in London. Picture date: Wednesday May 8, 2024. (Photo by Ian West/PA Images via Getty Images)
People think Samantha Kenny looks like Abbey Clancy. (PA Images via Getty Images)

"I just shouted at the TV, she looks like Abbey Clancy and she’s just said it," one person said. Another posted on X: "Is Samantha like Abbey Clancy's long lost daughter or her doppelganger or what?"

"Abbey… is that you?!" quipped someone else. "Yeah she deffo looks like Abbey Clancy," agreed another viewer. "Samantha looks like Abbey Clancy if you squint," remarked somebody else.

However, others disagreed and suggested that people were focusing on the fact that both Kenny and former Britain's Next Top Model star Clancy are from Liverpool.

"Whoever told Samantha she looks like Abby Clancy has been lying to her. Just because you are both from Liverpool," said one. "Abbey Clancy??" said another, along with a GIF of a toddler rolling her eyes.

Others thought Kenny resembled former Islander Hannah Elizabeth. "Samantha sounds and looks like OG Hannah from the last season," said one. Another asked: "Is Samantha not Hannah from s1?"

From ITV

Love Island SR11 on ITV2 and ITVX

Pictured:  Samantha, Ayo, Munveer, Nicole, Patsy, Ciaran, Harriet, Jess, Sean, Ronnie, Mimii, Sam  

This photograph is (C) ITV plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk.  This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms

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The contestants have couple up for the first time. (ITV)

The launch episode also saw the contestants coupled up for the first time, with host Maya Jama in the villa as the singletons were paired up.

Many fans expressed their excitement about the series returning, saying they were settling in for eight weeks of viewing. "I feel like they’ve chosen a very chaotic bunch this year I’m excited," wrote one person. "8 weeks of my life down the drain," joked another, as one admitted: "Gonna be shattered everyday now for 8 weeks."

"Love Island being back on my TV for eight whole weeks now just feels right," said someone else.