Alex Bowen shares Love Island nostalgia and insights on evolving the hit ITV show

It’s been nearly a decade since Alex Bowen set foot in the iconic Love Island villa—but the 33-year-old reality star is still as invested in the hit ITV dating show as ever.

Alex, who rose to fame on Love Island’s second series back in 2016,has been watching the current series closely—and he’s got thoughts. Speaking exclusively to Mirror Online, the former Islander shared his nostalgia, behind-the-scenes memories, and what the show needs to do to keep viewers hooked.

“It’s crazy to think it’s been nearly ten years since I was in the villa,” Alex admits. “I always feel nostalgic watching the show. So much has changed over the years, but that core feeling—the excitement, the drama, the relationships—it’s all still there.”

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Now happily married to fellow Love Island alum Olivia Bowen, with whom he shares a son, Alex’s life has moved well beyond the villa. But as someone who found genuine love on the show, he’s passionate about what the format still gets right—and what it could do better.

Since their time on Love Island, Alex and Olivia's relationship has blossomed into one of Love Island’s biggest success stories. The couple married in 2018 and are now expecting their second child together. They already share a son called Abel, who was born in 2022.

“I think it’s a really exciting series!” he says of the 2025 edition. “Love Island have already shown so many fun twists and turns, and they introduced quite a few bombshells really early on. It feels like a fresh take, which has been great to see.”

One change Alex welcomes is the producers’ plan to start filming mealtimes—an area viewers have traditionally not seen.

“Back when I was in there, we used to make our own breakfast,” he recalls. “Lunch and dinner were brought in, and we weren’t allowed to talk about villa drama while eating, in case cameras missed something good. Showing that now could definitely give fans more insight into the Islanders’ personalities.”

As for villa life off-camera, Alex has some amusing memories—including the challenge of keeping track of laundry.

“We had laundry baskets for each person—but I used to lose my stuff all the time,” he laughs. “We’d end up wearing each other’s clothes without even realising!”

Despite the evolution of the series, Alex believes Love Island’s success lies in sticking to what it does best.

“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” he says. “People love Love Island for the excitement, the drama, and of course, the romance. The key is giving Islanders more time in the villa. Sometimes they get dumped too early, and we don’t get a chance to see their journey or who they could connect with.”

He also backs the idea of bringing back past Islanders—particularly those who didn’t get their full moment.

“There are so many great people from earlier series who didn’t get enough time. It’d be amazing to see them back. They’d be more mature now, and it would bring a nice balance to the villa.”

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