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Love Island's Luca Bish had a romance with this Strictly star

Luca is a contestant on series eight


luca love island
Francesca Shillcock
Senior Features Writer
On 10 June 2022
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Love Island contestant Luca Bish recently landed in Majorca to find love on the reality TV show, but it seems the 23-year-old is no stranger to romance and even enjoyed a brief relationship with a former Strictly Come Dancing star.

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The Brighton-based fishmonger was previously in a brief relationship with influencer, vlogger and 2019 Strictly contestant, Saffron Barker. The pair met through mutual friends, with Luca telling Metro that they even went to the same school.

WATCH: Love Island's Gemma Owen talks marriage and kids with Davide

"I think she had just come out of a relationship," he said, adding: "And then yeah, that was it. We just kind of hit the ground running a bit."

Although the pair romance wasn't to last, they ended it on good terms, according to the Love Island star: "We still remain really good mates. I see her as a good friend." It's thought that the couple's differing lifestyles were the reason behind their split.

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saffron aj strictly© Photo: Getty Images

Saffron Barker with her Strictly partner AJ Pritchard in 2019

Saffron competed on the BBC Ballroom competition in 2019 alongside former professional dancer AJ Pritchard. Although the pair didn't make it to the grand finale, which saw Oti Mabuse and Kelvin Fletcher crowned winners, AJ and Saffron impressed judges and viewers and made it to sixth place.

Meanwhile, Luca has been couple up with Paige since entering the villa earlier this week but, during Thursday night's episode, it seems he has his eye on someone else.

Towards the end of the instalment, Luca could be seen chatting to equestrian champ, Gemma Owen, on the terrace. The pair discussed sports (although Gemma refrained from mentioned her former pro dad, Michael Owen) with Luca telling Gemma he wanted "kiss her right now".

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luca love island

Luca and Saffron both hail from Brighton

Fans took Twitter to comment on the islander's interaction. One person said: "Gemma is smart. She knows that Davide will stray the second someone he fancies more comes in, so she's going for Luca to secure her spot. Queen of playing the game! #LoveIsland."

A second wrote: "Gemma and Luca might be the first real couple of the season... you just never know." As a third added: "I’m calling it, Luca & Gemma to win, Luca’s a football fan, he knows who she is, boom trophy father-in-law coming up #LoveIsland." 

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