Real reason Love Island's Elma and Sammy split revealed in emotional TOWIE scenes

19 August 2025, 17:07 | Updated: 20 August 2025, 09:06

Real reason Love Island All Stars' Elma and Sammy split revealed in emotional The Only Way Is Essex scenes. Picture: ITV

By Abbie Reynolds

Love Island All Stars' Elma Pazar and Sammy Root were in tears as they addressed their split on TOWIE.

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Love Island series five's Elma Pazar and series ten's Sammy Root first met on The Only Way Is Essex in 2024. While they had a flirt, they didn't explore things romantically because of their nine year age gap.

However, the pair both starred on Love Island All Stars series 2 at the beginning of 2025, where they decided to finally give things a go. The pair found that, despite their age difference, they had a strong connection and it took them to the final where they came fifth.

In June, four months after All Stars, it was reported that they'd split but very little details were shared at the time. Now, as the latest series of TOWIE airs, the truth has been revealed about their break up.

Elma and Sammy on Love Island All Stars. Picture: ITV

Opening up about the split to TOWIE co-star Roman Hackett, Sammy said: "We went from high flying and perfect couple to just, I don't even really know what."

Whereas Elma told co-star Dani Imbert that she felt Sammy had become "comfortable", explaining: "I think he got very used to the idea of like, 'Oh I could just go round to Elma and Courtney's and just chill there, quick takeaway, whatever."

She added: "And I just feel like I want to be wooed... I don't want to tell anyone how to be in a relationship, I just want it to happen. And I think as well, it's just we're different people."

Elma summed it up as, "I want magic and I feel like I'm getting mediocre," which echoes an Instagram caption she shared which initially sparked split rumours. Elma had penned: "Don’t settle for a bunch when you can have the whole garden."

Sammy broke into tears on TOWIE. Picture: ITV

In later TOWIE scenes, Elma and Sammy addressed the split in an emotional conversation, as it was revealed Sammy was unsure if things were actually fully over between them.

After Elma confirmed that she wanted to end things, saying their romance had "fizzled out", Sammy broke down into tears. Taking a breathe, he said: "It's s---, it's why I hate getting feelings."

Through tears, he said: "Anyone that knows me knows I'm not an emotional person. It's like when I do get like this, I don't know what to f------ do. I don't know how to cope, it's just all weird."

With the end of their relationship confirmed, Sammy said: "With it so fresh, it's going to take me a bit of time to go back to being pals."

Elma and Sammy came fifth on Love Island All Stars 2. Picture: Shutterstock

Later, Elma broke into hysterics as she revealed to the other TOWIE girls that Sammy had been in tears during their chat.

"He was crying his heart out," she explained. "I'm so dismissive, I'm like, 'If that's not that then I'm not going to sit there and work on something because why should I?' But it's because of my age.

"It doesn't make me a bad person but it makes me feel s--- because he was so upset. Like you don't understand. Imagine seeing a geezer cry, like he's so sore."

She said she felt like she'd "broken him".

Elma was also in tears on TOWIE. Picture: ITV

Later Sammy spoke to Roman and fellow Love Island star Matilda Draper about how he was feeling.

"I don't think she ever realised how much I did care about her... She said to me, like, 'Why don't we just brush it under the carpet? and I said, 'Mate, if I brush my feelings under the carpet, they'll be a lump about this big'," he said gesturing a mountain with his hands.