Love Island's Shakira and Toni reveal real reason for villa divide
8 August 2025, 16:09
Shakira and Toni have revealed the exact moment they think the divide started between the girls on Love Island 2025.
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Since Love Island 2025 started, fans claimed early on that there was an evident divide between the girls - now winner Toni Laites and runner-up Shakira Khan have spoken out on the situation.
While friendship groups naturally form in Love Island, the divide between the girls seemed next level for viewers. As the trio: Toni, Shakira, Yasmin Pettet didn't seem to get along with Meg Moore, Helena Ford, Megan Forte Clarke and Emily Moran.
At the start of the series, Megan joined Meg and Helena - forming a trio - but she was later dumped from the island, leaving the pair as a duo. Upon Megan's arrival back to the villa she took more of a neutral approach, hoping to unite all the girls and move on previous issues.
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Now that the show has finished, the girls are able to speak freely about their villa experience. When asked about the divide between the girls, Toni said: “I think that my friends and I were the ones to stand up for what’s right and what’s wrong and we owned everything we said when others weren’t doing the same.
"We didn’t agree with a lot of people’s behaviour and were always vocal about it.”
And on when the divide began, Shakira added: “What it stems from is on day one or day two I was put in a position where I had to graft and so was deemed as a threat. From then on, I was treated differently.
"So then I found a friendship with Toni and we sort of flocked together. When you are a threat to someone’s relationship you are not going to be the best of pals.”
Shakira is referring to the beginning of the show, where she was left single and was given only a day to find a new boy to couple with, or risk being dumped.
Ultimately Harry Cooksley chose her, resulting in Sophie Lee being dumped, which Shakira believes sparked the divide.
Although she didn't give a direct response to the villa divide, Yasmin contributed to the ongoing discussion with a social media post.
Sharing a fan edit on her Instagram story, with the caption "Ate downnnn 🔥", to celebrate her close bond with Toni and Shakira. She even thanked them in her return to social media, saying "I really wouldn’t have been able to do it without my Jamie, Toni and Shakira💋".
Read more Love Island here:
- Love Island 2025 finalists share first pictures as they arrive at UK airport
- Three Love Island stars tried to quit the villa in dramatic scenes cut from the show
- Love Island's Yasmin faces devastating "heartbreak" after leaving the villa
- Reality star who kissed Love Island's Tommy and Ben breaks silence
- When is the Love Island 2025 reunion?
