Love Island spoilers! Cast couple up for first time as new winter series begins

Love Island’s new series kicks off tonight at a sprawling South African Villa.

Series 9 of the ITV2 series launches on Monday at 9PM as new host Maya Jama makes an epic entrance via helicopter.

First into the villa are the boys on this year’s cast as Shaq and Haris arrive together, before welcoming Will, then Ron, then Kai to their sun-drenched new home.

Maya invites the boys to gather at the fire pit and quizzes them on what they’re looking for.

Maya asks: “Shaq, have you got a type?”

Shaq shares: “Not specifically, I go for more personality and vibes but she’s definitely got to be funny, funny is top of my list, I love it.”

Kai adds: “I am looking for a wifey.”

Haris reveals: “I’ve never been in a relationship”

Ron says: “For me it’s all about if they are nice girl.”

Will tells Maya: “I wanna settle down, I think it’s time to bring a girl back, introduce them to the animals.”

Maya says: “I think I’ve found out enough, are you lot ready to meet some girls?”

Inviting the boys to stand before her by the pool Maya then says: “Well boys, it is time to couple up, the girls will come in one by one and I’ll ask you to step forward if you fancy them. Each girl will then decide which boy she wants to couple up with. It’s that simple. So who’s ready to meet our first girl?”

One by one Tanya, Anna-May, Lana, Olivia and Tanyel make their entrance into the Villa.

As the first coupling of the series gets underway, it’s time to see which boys the girls pick and whether they will step on each other’s toes to couple up with the boy they fancy the most.

Once the couples are formed, Maya says: “We now have five lovely couples but will you stay together or will your heads be turned? Don’t forget finding your perfect match is never that simple, trust me I know.”

Soon the first test for the new couple arrives as the Islanders discover that the public have been voting for the first bombshell.

But which bombshell will it be and how long will the Islanders have to wait before meeting the newest arrival?

Love Island airs at 9PM on ITV2 and ITVX.