Love Island winner Lorenzo Alessi has liked a photo of Julia Majchrzak from the show's reunion party, days after she accused him of embarrassing her by liking other women's Instagram photos.
Alessi, 28, and Majchrzak, 26, won the £50,000 prize during the live final in Mallorca last month. But five days after returning to the UK, the couple had only been on one date and endured a tense interview on This Morning amid speculation they had split.
During an appearance on Capital XTRA, Majchrzak said Alessi had embarrassed her by liking photos of models after leaving the villa, while liking none of her own pictures. Alessi said it was simply because her photos had not yet appeared on his feed, but Majchrzak criticised his behaviour.
The reunion party took place on Thursday, and Alessi liked a photo of Majchrzak from the event the following day. Majchrzak then posted a photo of herself on Instagram in a black lace dress with a corset underneath.
Referencing his earlier excuse, Alessi commented on the post: "All over my feed." He also liked other posts of hers and commented "Liked by Lorenzo" underneath.
The radio interview row
Earlier in the week, Majchrzak was asked about Alessi's social media "like-spree" during a radio interview. She said: "Guys, this is not funny. He's already embarrassed me online... He had no time to arrange a date in five days, but was sat in bed liking other girls' Instagram pictures."
Alessi responded by saying he did not want to rush things after leaving the villa. He said: "This is the thing. I feel like why I didn't want to rush things in the villa... We're not running around getting married tomorrow. I'm learning how to be in a committed relationship, and I'm learning what is acceptable and what is not."
He added: "To be 100 per cent honest, it was pure naivety. I did not think it would be picked up by the press... These are now real-world things that we can experience together."
During the same interview, Majchrzak checked her phone to see whether Alessi had liked any of her own Instagram photos. He had not. She said: "Did you even have time to like my photos? Guess what guys, he's not under my Instagram!" Alessi laughed the moment off, saying her posts had not yet come up on his feed.
The This Morning interview
The radio interview followed an awkward appearance on This Morning, the first time the pair had been seen together publicly since landing back in the UK from Mallorca. Host Josie Gibson asked Alessi directly whether the couple were still together, noting rumours that they were not.
Alessi replied that since leaving the villa they were "still in the same place, exclusively dating," to which Majchrzak added: "Yes, we are still dating." Alessi said it had been a "crazy few days" since the final and that he believed things needed to "settle down" before they went on "some lovely dates." Majchrzak responded bluntly: "Where's the date?"
Gibson also asked whether the couple had said the "L-word" yet. Alessi said: "No but it's going that way. Feelings are developing, it's in the right position, so I feel like give it some time." Alessi, who owns a clothing business, said he planned to take Majchrzak to a rooftop bar for their first date, prompting her to ask "When?" and later repeat, "When's my date?" She also asked him when they had last seen each other. Alessi said the date had "a lot of planning involved."
The pair did go for dinner that evening and posted about it on social media, which appears to be the only date they have been on since leaving the villa.
Fan reaction
The relationship has drawn scrutiny from Love Island viewers on X. One fan wrote that Alessi had "basically used her to get to the final with ZERO consideration for the fact he was playing with Julia's feelings to achieve it," adding that they had never seen a winning couple look so unconvincing about their own connection.
Others compared the situation to All Stars winners Samie Elishi and Ciaran Davies, who broke up after this year's season, with one writing: "Not even a week this is worse than Scamie and Ciaran." Another fan shared a selection of the photos Alessi had liked and asked how many more days until the couple posted "black screens" on their Instagram Stories.
Other comments included criticism of Alessi for continuing to like other women's pictures while in a relationship, and questions over whether the pair had ever really been a couple at all.
