What happened on Love Island summer 2023 last night? Episode 44 recap

Mitchel Taylor also had a lot of grovelling to do with his new partner Ella Barnes, as she stuck by his ex Abi Moores for the way they had both been treated.

Also, a shock appearance from host Maya Jama meant that two couples waved goodbye to the villa and their chances of winning the £50k prize pot!

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

Read on to find out everything that happened in episode 44 of Love Island.

What happened on Love Island summer 2023 last night? Episode 44 recap

Keen to clear up the mess he had made in the Snog, Marry, Pie challenge, Zach pulled Kady for a chat. although he did it in a tone that both Sammy Root and Jess Harding agreed was “flirty”.

Asking the returning Islander what was said between her and his partner Molly, Kady told him that she was “obviously upset” and admitted that she had told Molly that she is still attracted to him, but that she “fancies Ouzy more and is coupled up with Ouzy”.

Later in the Beach Hut, Kady didn’t feel like she had gotten a straight conversation out of Zach, and said: “I just feel frustrated when I speak with Zach, because I don’t get the proper truth or facts from him. He doesn’t tell me really how he’s feeling or what he’s thinking.”

Zach then pulled Whitney Adebayo for a chat to talk about the comment she had made about him seeing Molly as an “easier option”.

Addressing the way he reacted after she made the comment, Whitney asked if he had calmed down, and told him she was angry “because that was disrespectful and I don’t like disrespect”.

Whitney continued: “Don’t let a good one go, [Molly’s] a good one. I feel like this is your chance to be the guy that is a bit emotional, that conveys his feelings in words, not actions. I know it’s going to be a tough one.”

Zach agreed, and said he wanted to tell Molly that “in my head, it’s like: ‘Babe, I just want you.’”

Also cleaning up his mess was Mitch, who had managed to get an apology out of Jess as his feelings were hurt when she pied him, who pulled Ella B for a chat.

Revealing that he’d apologised to Abi, the gas engineer seemed to think that was enough to redeem himself - but he was sorely mistaken!

“I’m glad you’ve apologised to her because the way you’ve treated us both has really not been okay,” Ella told him. “And, if anything with this situation, it’s brought me and Abi closer. The way you have dealt with us has not been okay.”

Mitch tried to reassure her: “I want to put my energy into you and make sure you’re alright. I put my apologies there and welcoming there, and if you want to take it, take it,” but Ella told him that he had just “ended up hurting two people” by “telling them what they want to hear”.

As Mitch promised to “graft” Ella B to win back her affections, Scott van-der-Sluis and Abi got cosy on the terrace.

As she branded Mitch “a loser”, Abi looked thrilled when the Welshman said he couldn’t just have his first kiss with her in bed, and leaned in for a smooch.

And although Abi was on cloud nine after the romantic moment, bedtime saw the couples bickering when the lights went out.

In the dark, viewers saw Ouzy complain again to Kady regarding her comments about enjoying kissing Zach in bed when they were coupled up; Ella B telling Mitch that he maybe just wanted her now because he couldn’t get Abi; and a usually very cuddly Zach and Molly sleeping at opposite sides of the bed.

When morning came, the feeling in the villa was very split. As Scott and Abi looked happy to have spent the night together, Ella B looked far from please - and while Mitch told the group that he was feeling good, the dancer revealed she was “still feeling a bit p***ed off, so Mitch needed to graft”. Awkward!

Luckily, Sammy then got a text that broke the tension - as the Islanders were instructed to get ready to go to an exclusive party.

Pop star Rita Ora performed and took selfies with the contestants - even encouraging them to jump in the pool!

But after the singer had left, the frosty atmosphere descended once more, and Molly set to work moaning about her ongoing situation with Zach to Abi and Ella Thomas.

“At the end of the day, yes it’s a game and it was a bit of fun, but I actually feel so shit today in the sense that I don't know how to be, I don't know what to say or do,” she said.

While Abi assured Molly that her “feelings were valid”, Zach spoke to Tyrique Hyde, who backed him by saying “challenges are challenges” while a crestfallen Zach explained that “there was no malicious intent” and he “didn’t handle the conversations well” after the ‘crime’ had been committed.

Molly then pulled him and admitted she was “really struggling” before bursting into tears, saying the situation was worse because her partner had “kissed the person who sent me home”.

“I want you to reassure me, to make me see that this can actually work,” she told Zach. “I can’t even look at Kady because she just p***es me off”.

Telling the actress that “there is nothing between [him] and Kady”, Zach added: “I want to fix this with you, but if you’re having doubts about us after six weeks of how I’ve acted with you, told you the way I feel, I don’t know what you want me to say.”

Still unsatisfied, Molly left the conversation with the words: “I don’t know how it’s going to pan out,” but could this be the end of the once happy couple?

Also airing their differences (again) were Mitch and Ella B.

“I need to set the ground rules down now because that was not okay. On the outside. I would never ever speak to you again if you’d done that,” the fiery Kent-native told him. “I’m not a second option to anyone.”

Saying he has now “got clarity” over what he wants, Mitch complimented: “That’s what I like about you, because you’ve got a backbone.”

While still not totally happy, Ella said she didn’t want to hold a grudge over her partner, and the pair made up with a kiss.

But there was no time to relax, as at that moment, host Maya walked in - which could only spell trouble!

Lining up in their couples, Maya told them that the public had been voting for their favourite couple, which was revealed to be Whitney and Lochan Nowacki.

While they were obviously over the moon with the result, their joy was short lived, as Maya continued that the three couples with least votes were vulnerable and at risk of being dumped from the Island - not even returning from the party to the villa.

They were friendship pairing Amber Wise and Josh Brocklebank, Kady and Ouzy - which left Molly with a barely disguised smirk on her face - and Ella B and Mitchel, which seemed to please Abi.

Waving goodbye, the safe Islanders headed back to the main villa; and after it was revealed they had received the fewest public votes, Amber and Josh were dumped immediately.

The drama wasn’t over, though - as in a brutal twist, Whitney and Lochan then had to decide on another couple to say goodbye to!

Pleading their case, Kady told her friend: “Our journey has started from getting in the main villa, and I think everyone in the villa can see that we do really like each other.” Ouzy agreed, and continued: “I think it’s clear to see that we have built a strong connection and we’ve started speaking about the future and outside life which is massive, and I think it just proves that the connection is real.”

When it was the turn of the other couple, Ella said: “I’ve always wanted Mitch from day dot. It did get a little bit messy but he’s made his decision. It’s just a shame that we haven’t had the time everyone else has had,” while Mitch added: “I got clarity and I’m happy with where things are going, for sure.”

After having a chat - where Whitney branded having to make the decision as “so savage” - Lochan announced: “We had to look at the pros and cons of each couple, I think it’s been particularly hard for me because there’s one individual here who I started my journey with and I’ll probably say is the closest boy I’m with in the villa.

“With one couple in particular, we know first hand that it will work on the outside. We spend a lot of time with this couple and we know that they are extremely compatible and we can see there is a real connection there, so there’s no doubt in our mind that it will work on the outside.”

He added: “On the other hand, we’ve got another couple that an individual has recently made it very clear to the individual he’s with that he is fully invested in her and that is something that also needs to be considered as well.”

The pair ultimately chose to save a grateful Ella and Mitch, but Ouzy and Kady seemed relaxed about the situation.

“I’m glad that I’m getting the chance to leave with her, rather than alone,” said the Scottish footballer. “I’m really excited to go on some dates and meet Kady’s mum maybe!”

In the teaser for tonight’s episode, another row seems to be on the cards between Abi and Mitch - but we’ll have to tune in later to see what happens!

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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