Similar personality traits abound
Gemma: the managing partner’s daughter
The daughter of former England footballer Michael Owen has the swagger of someone who knows that they will always do well in the end.
But could Gemma’s elite background ultimately cost her a place in the final three couples? Handing reality TV’s equivalent of a training contract to someone who already has it all may not look great.
Luca: constantly having his head turned by other firms
As he flirted with almost everyone in the villa at the start, Luca was like a student trying to juggle vac schemes with multiple different firms at the same time.
Then he decided to drop them all apart from one, the prestigious Gemma. With his eggs in one basket, the fishmonger from Brighton is suddenly looking nervous.
Ekin Su: dominates group exercises
Did anyone else manage to get a word in edgeways during that group exercise? No, I thought not. Ekin Su may have leadership qualities but she will have to dial down the intensity if she wants to make the final cut.
Ikenna: so above attending vac scheme socials
Ikenna’s aloofness could cost him over the course of the summer. Sure, he’s tall and good looking, but by not putting in the effort with Indiyah, or, let’s face it, any of the contestants, the pharma sales rep from Nottingham is doing the vac scheme version of just turning up during the day and then skipping the socials. Never a good idea for TC hunters.
Jay: the mature student
Jay is 28 and works in the City and is really mature and impressive and commercially aware having done real deals because he’s got an economic degree. Which begs the question: why is he trying to become a lawyer on Love Island?
Jacques: great at rugby
Like the student who blows everyone away with their ability at touch rugby and softball during the social in the park, but is rather less sure of themselves doing the actual law bit on a vac scheme, you get the sense that Jacques’ gifts are not evenly distributed.
But at firms where the graduate recruitment partner is a huge sports fan, the Jacques of this world often go all the way.
Tasha: on a vac scheme at a firm she doesn’t want to join
Dozens of vac scheme applications lead to a handful of interviews which boil down to one vac scheme at the firm you applied to as a back-up but actually didn’t want to join. This is Tasha’s energy, literally, as the Islanders say. Andrew is the firm. Will she learn to love him?
Liam: the one who decides law isn’t for him
Were he a future lawyer, sweet Liam from Wales would be the vac schemer who gets homesick after a few days in the big city and decides this whole legal life thing isn’t for him. Lacking resilience or the smartest contestant of them all? You decide.
Amber, Dami, Andrew, Davide, Indiyah, Paige, Remi: the ones who will probably get training contracts
So far, so under the radar. Which isn’t always a bad thing on Love Island/a vac scheme. An aura of unremarkableness at this stage implies an understanding that this is a marathon not a sprint. Watch this group for potential winners.
