What happened on Love Island summer 2023 last night? Episode 22 recap

Things also seemed to move in the right direction for Ella Thomas and Tyrique Hyde, who were the first couple to head out of the villa on a date!

And although Molly Marsh’s place in his bed is still warm after being brutally dumped from the show, Zachariah Noble took things to the next stage with Kady McDermott - or tried to, at least…

If you missed the episode, then don’t worry - RadioTimes.com has you covered with our handy video above.

Read on to relive all the drama from episode 22 of Love Island!

What happened on Love Island summer 2023 last night? Episode 22 recap

The girls were victorious after the pulse raising challenge on Sunday night, but Mehdi’s performance made Whitney feel like doing anything but celebrate.

To get the heart rates of the girls racing, the French model gave out several passionate kisses - which, as we’re sure you can imagine, went down like a lead balloon with Whit!

Speaking in front of Mehdi, the London-based business owner asked Zachariah why he had only kissed her during his performance, to which he answered: “Because I wanted to, it felt right in the moment.”

Pleased with his answer, Whitney made a thinly veiled comment towards her current partner and replied: “I love a man that’s not for everyone. If I knew what I know now, I would have changed my kiss type.”

Mehdi and Whitney then went off for a chat on their own, where he accused her of “draining his energy”.

“Please make sense. Don’t come with an attitude in front of everyone, that’s ridiculous,” he fumed. “I’m not going to waste my time and have my energy drained by you. You’ve done enough. It’s either you compose yourself… if you have something to say then say it.”

After Mehdi stormed away from the conversation, the couple tried to have one last talk before bedtime - which still didn’t get them anywhere!

While Mehdi raged at her for speaking about their problems to other people, Whitney accused him of “deflecting” and added: “How can you not gauge emotional awareness with someone you're coupled up with.

“You’re there emotionally for everyone, but when it comes to me, you’re so mean.”

This time, she was the one to stomp off, and later complained to the girls: “Proper snogging - we saw your tongue, bro! He acts like I’m crazy!”

Also at a fork in the road were Tyrique and Ella, who had had words on Sunday’s show when he told her that he “misses the game” of being single.

But the challenge seemed to open his eyes a little bit, and while Tyrique still said he “can’t be closed off” yet with Ella, he begged her for a little time and assured her that he’s “never felt like this” before. Ella, however, revealed in the Beach Hut that she would give her beau a couple of days, but assured viewers that she is “not going to wait around forever”.

The next day, the Islanders had a debrief in their various groups. Whitney decided that she needed to “come to a resolution” about the situation with Mehdi, while her partner admitted that the two have a “different way of communicating”. Mal Nicol revealed she’d shared another “lovely and natural” kiss with Sammy Root, while Kady admitted that she didn’t want to “close herself off completely” with Zach, and would still like to get to know Tyrique and Scott van der Sluis.

Yet another chat was in store for Mehdi and Whitney, who had cooled down slightly from the night before.

“When I stepped into the challenge, I didn’t have any malicious intentions,” Mehdi explained. “Now, I completely get your point of kissing four girls, blah blah blah, so even though there wasn’t anything malicious behind it, I apologise for that.”

However, this didn’t placate Whitney, who branded him “disrespectful” and said: “It was the perfect opportunity to showcase loyalty and you’re kissing everyone. You’re rude.”

Exploring her options, Whitney then went and chatted with Montel McKenzie, who assured her he wasn’t putting all his eggs in one basket with Leah Taylor.

“If I give you an egg, you give me an egg,” Whitney quipped. So could a potential romance be brewing between the pair?

Ella then got a text, which told her to get ready - she and Tyrique were heading out on their first date!

The couple enjoyed a romantic afternoon and chatted over drinks - where Tyrique admitted the music video model had made him feel capable of “catching strong feelings”.

And in a huge turn of events, the semi-professional footballer added: “I feel like I'm 100% ready to fully close myself off with you” - which left Ella grinning like a Cheshire Cat!

In the evening, after planning earlier in the day to take Kady to the terrace to “secure a kiss”, Zachariah finally got his wish.

After he led the returning Islander - who Mitchel Taylor had said was “more suited” to Zach than his former partner, Molly Marsh - headed to the terrace, Zach told Kady that she made him feel “nervous”.

“I’ve not had nerves in a very, very, very long time,” he revealed. “I’m glad you came here, you’ve completely took me off guard”.

But after leaning in for a kiss, Kady insisted that the couple should wait, as she had just entered the villa and his connection with Molly is barely cold!

“I feel like I’ve only been in three days, and to kiss someone, I want to be 100%,” she told him, adding: “It’s definitely going in the right direction, but it’s a big thing for me."

While some may have been left red-faced by the interaction, Zach brazened it out - and although he admitted that he was “humbled” by the rejection, he also found it sexy!

While some couples enjoyed the rest of their romantic evening, as Leah and Montel shared a kiss, and Scott told Catherine Agbaje that he liked her more than anyone else in the villa, it was decision time for Mehdi and Whitney.

Going for yet another talk (how many can we see in one episode?!), the pair came to the conclusion that they were open to getting to know other people - with Mehdi later admitting in the Beach Hut: “I feel like a weight has been taken off my shoulders.”

Voting then opened to choose a favourite boy and girl to save from being dumped from the villa - so only time will tell which of the contestants face the risk of leaving.

Love Island airs on ITV2 at 9pm. You can watch all previous seasons of Love Island on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free trial.

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