Kai and Sanam Make History as the Winter "Love Island" 2023 Winners

The course of true love never did run smooth, but for Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan, the path led to them being crowned the winners of Winter "Love Island" 2023. On 13 March, new host Maya Jama announced that the public had voted for the pair to win the show as they split the £50,000 prize money. Ron Hall and Lana Jenkins came in second place, followed by Tom Clare and Samie Elishi, with Shaq Muhammed and Tanya Manhenga coming in fourth.

While Kai and Sanam looked shocked to have won the show and the cash prize, they also unknowingly made history as the first people of colour couple to win the show and Sanam is the first Casa Amor Islander to bag the top spot. And fans were quick to comment on the moment. "Kai and Sanam have proven that POC can win this show and they are a breath of fresh air and their professions are refreshing too, a teacher and a social worker won Love Island 2023," one tweeted. While another added: "Kai and Sanam have just made HISTORY winning the show! First Casa Couple to Win First Casa Girl to Win First Trinidad Girl to Win First Jamaican to Win The list just keeps on GOING BABY I'm so happy they won".

Unlike last year's "Love Island" winners, Ekin-Su Cülcüloglu and Davide Sanclimenti, who were favourites to win the show, it was a close call for the 2023 batch of Islanders following Will Young and Jessie Wynter's shock exit a day before the final. But ultimately, Kai and Sanam took the top spot. The couple may have only met during the Casa Amor section of the show, but they stole the nation's heart with their sincere connection. Kai was faced with a few ups and downs while in the villa, mostly from Olivia who he was coupled up with before they were separated during Casa Amor. Despite them both returning with others, Olivia accused Kai of lying about his feelings. Yet those feelings were real, and he found himself gravitating towards Sanam the whole time. Now, they have been cemented in "Love Island" history as the winning couple (although they are yet to make their relationship official).

While the "Love Island" winners might be on solid ground right now, that's not a total guarantee that their relationship will work on the outside. Luca and Gemma split just weeks after leaving the villa last year, while others have gone on to be more in love than ever like Tasha and Andrew, and some have even welcomed babies together (we're looking at you, Molly-Mae and Tommy).

This year, ITV banned Islander's social media accounts being used by friends and family while they were in the villa, but we can't wait to see Kai and Sanam document their life on the outside for us all to see. With Jama at the helm, wearing show-stopping "Love Island" outfits might we add, it's made for a successful series that has whet our appetite for the summer dose of slo-mo walks, recouplings at the fire pit, and Islanders getting "on job". See you in the summer!