LOVE Island fans may have forgotten that well over a decade ago a host of celebrities were looking for romance on the hit show.
For two glorious years in 2005 and 2006, stars were flown out to Fiji for a few weeks to see if they could find love.
Some famous faces included Big Brother star Kate Lawler, model Bianca Gascoigne and former Hollyoaks star Paul Danan.
There was plenty of tears, tantrums and snogging, as the couples made the most of their time in the Love Shack.
Unsurprisingly, the series’ resulted in no lasting relationships – but it did set the ball rolling for future series’.
KATE LAWLER
Big Brother star Kate Lawler appeared on series 2 of the dating show in 2006 – she came third top female in the final.
Kate, 41, was the first female winner of Big Brother in 2002 and has since gone onto present various radio shows including Capital FM and Virgin Radio.
The reality star appeared on ITV’s show Celebrity Wrestling, competing under the name The Brawler. She helped her team, the Warriors, win the team championship, but was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Best known for being a DJ, Kate has a huge social media following, regularly sharing hilarious and honest posts about motherhood after welcoming her first daughter Noa in February.
BIANCA GASCOIGNE
Bianca and Calum Best first met and fell for each other during their time on Celebrity Love Island in 2006.
They were crowned joint winners of the ITV2 show, after the stepdaughter of footballer Paul Gascoigne – then 20 – described him as her “dream man”.
In one clip from the show, Bianca was seen arriving at the Love Shack to spend time with Calum, shared their own Lady and the Tramp moment with spaghetti before sharing a steamy smooch.
However, their romance wasn’t to last and they split up shortly afterwards
The model went onto appear on the TV show Gladiators in 2008 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2017.
In 2010, she took part in Celebrity Coach Trip and in 2012 appeared on The X Factor but failed to make it to bootcamp.
Bianca split from Katie Price’s ex Kris Boyson in February and has joined the next series of Celebrity Ex On The Beach.
PAUL DANAN
Paul ‘Dangerous’ Danan was known for his rather erratic behaviour on the show.
The former Hollyoaks star, who played Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 show, previously spoke about his steamy dating history.
Paul dumped Kelly Brook after her grandad interrupted a steamy romp, meanwhile Katie Price turned up to a date with another man.
Paul, who is still close to Katie, says: “I get to this date and she turns up with another guy. I’m thinking, ‘Why has she turned up to meet me with a bloke?’.
“All these years later she says she was probably a bit shy so she wanted someone with her. I took it to heart, as I thought she wasn’t interested.
“After about an hour, I said, ‘See you later’. I was really gutted.”
He competed in Celebrity Big Brother 20 and was 5th evictee. He now runs the Paul Danan Drama Club in London.
CALUM BEST
Calum’s barely been off our screens since Celebrity Love Island – he won the second series with Bianca Gascoigne.
Most recently, he took part in E4’s Celebs Go Dating but sadly didn’t find love.
Calum has signed up to his 45th reality show appearance since first shooting to fame in 2005.
Despite already appearing in MTV’s Ex On The Beach earlier this year, the TV personality, 39, is looking for love again on the show’s spin off Ex In The City.
MICHAEL GRECO
Former EastEnders actor Michael Greco, who played Beppe di Marco, appeared on the dating show in 2005.
He was a contestant on ITV’s Soapstar Superstar in January 2006, and played in the Rest of the World team in the Soccer Aid match in 2006.
Greco is a keen poker player- he appeared in the 2005 Poker Million, World Speed Poker Open and Monte Carlo Millions.
Michael, 50, reveals he’s able to take his seven-week-old son Gianluca home last week, after the tot was “fighting in ICU to live a normal life”.
In a heartfelt Instagram Stories post the EastEnders star, thanked his fans for their support as he revealed his son has made an ‘incredible recovery’
SOPHIE ANDERTON
Model Sophie Anderton was evicted in week 5 with former Hollyoaks star Lee Otaway – but didn’t find love on the show.
Sophie found The One after she revealed that she had married multimillionaire Count Kaz Balinski-Jundzill in Ireland earlier this month.
The 44-year-old model, who appeared on the ITV2 dating show 15 years ago, has finally married the Polish aristocrat, 52, after having to postpone their wedding three times.
Sophie previously told how Kaz romantically got down on one knee last year.
SHANE LYNCH
The Boyzone singer appeared on the 2006 series but walked after he questioned his decision to remain on the show.
Shane is no stranger to reality TV having been on The Games, Love Island and Cirque De Celebrite and Celebrity Big Brother.
Shane has amassed quite a wealth since his rise to fame, it is believed he has a fortune of £12million.
In March 1998, Shane married Easther Bennett, lead singer of Eternal, but they separated in July 2000.
Shane then married singer Sheena White in August 2007, and in October 2008, his wife gave birth to their daughter Billie Rae.
They welcomed their second child in September 2012, another daughter who they named Marley Mae.
Unfortunately in April 2020 Shane revealed the couple had split up.
BRENDAN COLE
Strictly star Brendan Cole landed the runner-up spot with Eternal singer Kelle Bryan.
The New Zealand star is most famous for appearing as a professional dancer on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing. from 2005 to 2009.
He was also a judge on the New Zealand version of the show, Dancing with the Stars.
In 2007, Brendan appeared on the BBC’s duet show Just the Two of Us as a celebrity, with Beverley Knight as his professional partner. They came second.
In 2019, Brendan showed off his vocal talents on X Factor: Celebrity with Hollyoaks star Jeremy Edwards.
In 2010, Cole married Zoe Hobbs, a British model, who gave birth to their first child, daughter Aurelia, on Christmas Day 2012.
In March 2018, Zoe gave birth to their son Danté.