They were the King and Queen of the villa and fans of Love Island UK season 9 are eager to know if Kai and Sanam are still together after winning £50,000 (around $61,000) for being the most genuine couple of the season.
Love Island UK, which is the original in a very popular now-international franchise, premiered in 2005 on ITV, but it wasn’t until it was rebooted in 2015 for ITV2 that it became the reality TV dating show we know and love today. Since it was rebooted in 2015, Love Island UK has aired seven seasons and led to dozens of international spinoffs in countries like the United States, Australia, South Africa and Spain.
The show, which is one of the highest-rated series in the UK, has led to real-life marriages and babies for couples who met as contestants such as season 2’s Cara De La Hoyde and Nathan Massey, who are married and share two children, and season 3’s Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt, who welcomed a baby in 2020. Here’s if our favorite lovers are still going strong.
Are Kai and Sanam from Love Island UK still together?
Sanam, Kai. Image: ITV via YouTube
Are Kai and Sanam from Love Island UK still together? Yes, it appears the couple that won season 9 of the popular dating series are still together and very much in love.
They even pretended to get engaged when they appeared on BBC’s Asian Network radio on March 20, 2023, which sent fans on Twitter into a meltdown. Kai shared a picture on Instagram of Sanam wearing a ring as he wrapped his arm around her, writing: “OMG did this just happen live on the @bbcasiannetwork”, with a link to the show. But the couple soon had to set the record straight; it wasn’t a real proposal. “Lol guys relax, it was a mock proposal,” one Twitter user wrote. “Today is national proposal day and they were just acting it out with the radio producer’s ring. Kai and Sanam are still gf/bf.”
In the season 9 finale, Sanam told Kai: “You charmed me with your smile and melted me with your warm brown eyes. I was hooked by your intelligence, values, kindness and you always manage to make me laugh. You’ve made me realize my worth and I can’t wait for us to one day be official.” Kai added: “My time here has been a dream since I met you. Sanam, you’re one of a kind and I’m so happy to have you in my life because I adore you and can’t wait to see what the future has in store for us.”
In an Instagram post following their win, Sanam wrote a gushing tribute to Kai and thanked her fans for their support. “The start of our love story. I can’t thank you all enough for the love you have given us. It honestly means the world to me to see how much support we have received. The positive messages, the videos of our journey, the fan pages, I honestly feel so blessed and overwhelmed with positive emotions I can’t express it. “Love Island has been a beautiful experience for me and I’m so proud to say I’ve left with someone I love, admire, look up to, connect with on a deeper level and absolutely value and appreciate everything he stands for.
As mentioned, the couple walked away with a cool £50,000 in prize money after winning season 9 of Love Island UK and while they’ve expressed wanting to spend some of the money on a romantic vacation, they’re going to use their winnings sensibly as well. “I want to go to Italy. I want to go to the Amalfi Coast. Sanam wants to go to Santorini!” Kai explained, per The Mirror.
Sanam added: “We’ve got to be sensible with it as well.” The former teacher explained: “Before I came in here I wanted to start up a business and help kids get into physical activity. I don’t want to turn my back on teaching, working with young kids and think I will use some of that to do that. I am not sure yet in what capacity.” Sanam agreed: “That’s similar to me. I came from social work – working with children who have been adopted. I know that sometimes in my area there can be limited services, so for me I want to be able to do something to aid and support them, being an advocate for them.”
Kai is a science and physical education teacher from Manchester, England. He was an original Islander and entered on day one. “When you first meet someone you never normally get to spend that much time with them, so when you’re genuinely looking for a connection, the villa is the perfect place to do it,” Kai told ITV in a press release for Love Island UK season 9.
He continued of what he thinks he brings to the villa, “I’m pretty lighthearted, I love a laugh, I’m really calm and chilled as well, pretty level headed, quite mature… but not too mature.” When asked why she thinks she’s single, Kai responded, I’m single by choice. I’m looking for the right girl. I feel like I have quite high expectations. I don’t feel I should commit to someone unless I’m absolutely buzzing over them, because it’s not fair on them.”
Sanam, meanwhile, was cast as an Outsider in season 9, coming into the villa on day 29. She revealed she’s a very flirtatious, bantery person” and “I’ve been told I’m a bit of a tease,” she said. “If there’s a guy I really have my heart set on, I’m very competitive.”
Four days into her stint at the villa, Kai chose to couple up with Sanam and on day 36, they had their first one-on-one date. They had another date after that and on day 58, Sanam and Kai were chosen as the winners of Love Island UK season 9.
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