It turns out you’re more likely to win an Oscar than find love in the villa but that hasn’t stopped this year’s hopefuls packing their personalised suitcases (#spon) and heading to an island in the sun with dreams of coupling up.

This year’s contestants range from romantic dreamers to greedy geezers, but all have one purpose: to find love (and go home with the prize money and lucrative career opportunities…).

 

Amber Gill, 21, beauty therapist from Newcastle

Amber's Instagram: @amberrosegill

Tom Hardy admirer Amber is looking for a fun partner who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. She’s also hoping for a fellow gym fan who’s tall, muscly and athletic.

Amber says she’d never use dating apps or slide into someone’s DMs on Instagram because she’s too old fashioned.

With a big personality, she admits she can be opinionated and hot-headed, but reckons she’ll be good on the challenges – she might have picked up some tips from her friends Adam Collard and Ellie Brown from last year’s Love Island.

 

Amy Hart, 26, air hostess from Worthing

Amy's Instagram: @amyhartxo

Hailing from Brighton’s less glamorous neighbour Worthing, BA Customer Service Manager Amy says that no one dresses or acts like her in her hometown. She believes her uniqueness is one of her best personality traits, alongside her quick wit and fierce loyalty.

As well as looking for love, Amy’s hoping to make new friends too, and says she’s a girls’ girl, sharing the taste for alcohol with her mates, but thankfully not the same taste in men.

She’s never had a proper boyfriend, but it is looking for someone like Liam Hemsworth or Ashley Banjo who she can travel the world with, but she also has a soft spot for David Walliams and Simon Cowell.

 

Anna Vakili, 28, pharmacist from London

Anna's Instagram: @annavakili_

Pharmacist Anna’s work hasn’t helped her find love, “they’re either really old or sick” she says of the men she’s met through her job.

Like fellow islander Amber, Anna’s celebrity crush is actor Tom Hardy. She’s hoping to meet a tall, dark handsome stranger who isn’t afraid of showing his emotions. “I like the soppy guys. I'm not into cocky boys at all,” she revealed.

Having been single for the past nine months, this is the longest she’s been without a boyfriend since she was 17, having had back-to-back long term relationships.

 

Anton Danyluk, 24, gym owner from Airdrie

Anton's Instagram: @anton_danyluk

Gym-obsessed Anton might be looking for love, but he’s also in it to win the show and be the first Scot to do so.

As a hard-working business owner, Anton is looking for someone who’s also a grafter, and who loves the gym as much as he does.

Although he’s dedicated to his gym, the same can’t be said for his former girlfriends, as he admits he has a wandering eye and hasn’t been loyal in any of his past relationships. His last girlfriend caught him cheating which made Anton re-examine his behaviour.

Going into the villa will be the biggest test of his life, he says: “I know that if I am loyal to someone in that space of time when hot girls are being thrown in all the time then I know I can be loyal to them.”

 

Callum MacLeod, 28, aircraft engineer from South Wales

Callum's Instagram: @callum_macleod

Clean freak Callum loves keeping his house spick and span. It’s just as well he has a mop to hand - his favourite films are tearjerkers P.S. I Love You and The Notebook.

Ever the romantic, Callum has eschewed dating apps in favour of real life meet cutes, “I want to have a story, a bit of a fairytale,” he says, “I don’t want to tell the kids I met mum on an app!”

As an aeronautical engineer, Callum has clearly got brains, but he says his best feature is his tan.

He’s looking for a partner who likes him for his personality and won’t try to change him.

 

Curtis Pritchard, 23, dancer from Shropshire

Curtis's Instagram: @curtispritchard12

Ballroom dancer Curtis hates checking his phone, so we’ll probably have to rely on the other islanders to check if they’ve got a text.

While Curtis looks much like the other boys in the villa with a dazzling smile and muscly torso, you might actually recognise him from Ireland’s Dancing with the Stars, or for being the brother of Strictly Come Dancing’s AJ Pritchard.

Curtis has met most of his dates on the dancefloor, and says he’s only been on about five dates in his life. “Love is blind,” he says of finding The One, but it’s important that they’re not fake.

 

Joe Garratt, 22, catering company owner from London

Joe's Instagram: @josephgarratt

“I really fancy Jorja Smith, I really fancy Lily Collins and the I really fancy Amber Heard,” says caterer Joe, hinting that he’s a big fan of the ladies.

The former rugby player says he can’t stand stuck up girls, or those who don’t give time to other people.

His laid-back lifestyle can be perceived as both good and bad, but it’s usually the latter when he’s in a relationship.

Joe describes himself as a bit of a romantic and a loyal friend, and says that although he’s never snaked any of his mates out, he wouldn’t let a friend get in the way of love in the villa.

 

Lucie Donlan, 21, surfer from Newquay

Lucie's Instagram: @lucierosedonlan

21-year-old Lucie is a model and qualified surf coach from Cornwall.

She’s looking for a sporty partner, ideally a surfer with long blonde hair. Failing that, she’s willing to settle for someone who’s into boxing, snowboarding or motorcross, as long as they’re not vain.

Having previously dated former Love Islander Charlie Frederick, she already has a sense of what to expect in the villa. Don’t expect to see her swapping make up tips with the other female contestants, as she says she prefers the company of men. “I like hanging out with guys,” she says, “Less drama really.”

 

Michael Griffiths, 27, firefighter from Liverpool

Michael's Instagram: @mac_griffiths_

Asked to rate himself out of 10, Michael gives himself full marks. “I would have said nine, but I'm a hero so it bumps it up.”

While staying humble isn’t among his skillset, Michael says he’s a straight-talker and is open and energetic.

The firefighter prefers to meet people face-to-face, but that shouldn’t put people off contacting him on Instagram. “Girls slide into my DMs. I will slide into DMs but it depends how fit you are.”

 

Sherif Lanre, 20, chef and semi-pro rugby player from London

Sherif's Instagram: @sherif_lanre

Rugby player Sherif’s first celebrity crush was High School Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens, but that doesn’t mean his prospective partner needs to be all singing and dancing. He’s looking for someone he can have a conversation with, and who will make him laugh. But a nice smile and good bum is also essential.

The chef says he’s got a wandering eye, and has even been told off at work for flirting with the customers, but he says he’ll be loyal in the villa.

 

Tommy Fury, 20, boxer from Manchester

Tommy's Instagram: @tommytntfury

“This summer I’ll be a lover not a fighter,” promises professional boxer Tommy, who describes himself as honest, charismatic and charming, if a bit lazy.

As the brother of boxing champ Tyson, Tommy often gets people approaching him through Instagram, but he prefers to meet people in person over dinner or drinks.

He’s hoping to find love in the villa, but won’t settle down until he’s found the perfect partner.

“I want to end up with a girl where I look at her every morning and think ‘You are gorgeous, I'm so lucky,’ and if a thousand girls walked past, I don’t want to look at one of them.”

 

Yewande Biala, 23, scientist from Dublin

Yewande’s Instagram: @yewande_biala

Scientist Yewande is looking for a tall, athletic partner who’s honest and has good banter.

Having only ever been on bad dates, she’s hoping that her time in the villa will allow her to flex her flirting skills and lead to love.

With a first class degree in Biotechnology and a Masters degree in Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance, Yewande says she thinks there’s room in reality TV for intelligent people, and wants to follow in the footsteps of 2017’s Alex George and 2016’s Camilla Thurlow.

Love Island starts tonight at 9pm on ITV2