Love Island champion Amber Gill has said she would not have won if she had taken back Michael Griffiths.
The beauty therapist from Newcastle triumphed alongside Irish rugby player Greg O’Shea in Monday night’s live final – with the pair splitting the £50,000 prize.
Romance blossomed after Amber was dumped by Michael for Joanna Chimonides.
After Joanna was axed, Michael expressed interest in reviving his romance with Amber but she instead chose to pursue a relationship with newcomer Greg.
Amber said her decision to move on was pivotal to her and Greg’s win.
She said: “No, I don’t think I would have won if I’d been with Michael.
“I think that me and Greg have a good laugh and that he came in when I needed him.
“I feel like that’s why it went to us. If she went back to the guy who didn’t treat her well… I don’t think I would have (won).”
Amber also expressed surprise at the news Michael and Joanna were coupled up outside the villa – despite Michael telling Amber he still had feelings for her days after Joanna was dumped from the show.
She said: “I don’t even know. To be fair I didn’t see much of them together so I don’t know how they were.
“But Michael definitely tried to come back to me so I just think that’s a bit weird (that they are together). But I don’t really want to say too much.”
She said she was shocked by public speculation that Molly-Mae had been faking her feelings for Tommy Fury to win the show.
Amber said: “Yeah definitely, I find that the villa is quite an intense place and it would be hard to be fake 24/7.”
The Islanders' reactions to Greg and Amber's win are everything. 💖 #LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/ITTu8keoH9
— Love Island (@LoveIsland) July 30, 2019
The final also saw Ovie Soko and India Reynolds come third, and Curtis Pritchard and Maura Higgins come fourth.
Confirming the pair had become exclusive, Greg put their win down to Amber’s journey in the villa.
He said: “My girl Amber smashed it the whole way.
“She’s been in from the first day and she’s had an incredible journey and I was just happy I could come in and help her out and put a smile back on her face.
“Now we are together and she’s had a great last couple of weeks I hope we just go from here now.”
The Limerick-based sportsman added that he planned to invest his winnings because it was “probably the smartest thing to do”.
Amber, however, said she was going to buy “at least one” designer outfit before putting the rest into savings.