Love Island catch-up: New Islanders arrive and three other talking points

All the latest from the ITV2 reality series

Love Island first look: Amber's upset with the girls and it's date time for Ovie and Chris

Thank God. After several painful days trying to choose between the two "lovely ladies" who were both, inexplicably, into him, Curtis has finally made a decision. How long he and Maura will last together – given that she is the greatest Islander, and he has come up from behind to prove himself to be the worst – remains to be seen.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what's happened lately on Love Island. After an admittedly slow start, the drama has picked up like nobody's business in the past few weeks (or, I suppose, like everybody's business, given how fast gossip spreads in the villa).

With three new Islanders arriving in tonight's episode, here are the biggest talking points.

Anna and Jordan visit the Hideaway

Why has it taken five seasons and heaven knows how many days for any couple to actually explore the Hideaway's facilities? Does this mean that the furry handcuffs have been lying dormant this entire time? Thank goodness Anna and Jordan – who, despite being victims of a huge miscarriage of justice in Sunday night's episode, are one of the strongest couples – got the chance to have a look around.

Maura and Amber clash

Maura and Amber have been fast friends from the start, but that very nearly crumbled after Michael's disrespectful conversation with his former flame, Amber. She, understandably, felt that none of her friends adequately stuck up for her. "I got really riled up to the point where I was gonna lose my head," she told Maura, "and everyone dispersed as if nothing has happened." "At the end of the day, the most important thin to know is I will always have your back," replied Maura, "but I'm not gonna fight people's battles for them." And then they hugged. It was perhaps the most emotionally mature resolution of the series. But I'm sure if Michael had witnessed it, he would have still yelled, "Chaldish."

Amber and Michael (sort of) reconcile

Whilst I'm not convinced that Michael deserves either Amber or Joanna's affection, it was gratifying to see him finally almost apologising to Amber for all the hurt he's caused. "Every time you speak to me, you make us feel like a piece of s**t," said Amber in tears. Michael promptly got up and walked away, so I reached for my phone to call the police – but just in the nick of time, he returned with a tissue.

Three new Islanders arrive

Oh my goodness, one of the new Islanders is a puppeteer! What a fun and interesting job! Oh, wait, she was making a joke. India is, in fact, a model. She's joined by Harley and, er, Greg to become the latest arrival to the villa. Tomorrow night, Greg will go on a date with Amber. Watch this space.

Catch up with our live blog of tonight's episode below

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Key Points

• Catch up with last night's episode here
• First look at the three new Love Island contestants
• How to find the Love Islanders' Instagram accounts

[16 July 2019 19:00 · alexandra.pollard]

Good evening, and welcome to the live blog of day 43 – the 37th episode of Love Island

[16 July 2019 19:20 · alexandra.pollard]

Yes, that's right – if you've not missed an episode you've now spent a solid day and a half watching beautiful people behaving fairly terribly

[16 July 2019 19:40 · alexandra.pollard]

If you missed last night's episode, here are the biggest talking points...

[16 July 2019 19:41 · alexandra.pollard]

Michael savagely rejected Amber

After ordering Amber to sit down, Michael turned into the ultimate ice queen and made it crystal clear to Amber that, despite her extending the olive branch to him, he has absolutely no interest in her and wants to be with Joanna. That is, despite Michael deciding to stay in the villa for two weeks seemingly pointlessly while Joanna is on the outside. It was brutal. 

[16 July 2019 20:00 · alexandra.pollard]

Curtis finally made a choice between Maura and Francesca

Having deliberated between choosing to be with Maura or Francesca for the past few days, Curtis finally decided to go for Maura and the pair shared a kiss on the balcony. A surprising couple, but they do actually look quite cute together.

[16 July 2019 20:20 · alexandra.pollard]

Anton and Belle got back together

While the couple’s fiery argument in the Love Island nightclub appeared to be the end of their relationship for good, Anton and Belle promptly made up and decided to get back together… much to Molly-Mae’s bafflement.

[16 July 2019 20:40 · alexandra.pollard]

New Islanders are set to arrive in the villa

At the end of the episode, it was announced that three new "bombshells" will be entering the villa to ruffle some feathers. It’ll be two girls and a boy – and one of the girls has her eye on Ovie. She knows.

[16 July 2019 21:04 · alexandra.pollard]

Let's just end the show now and Amber and Ovie can win and we can rename it Friend Island 

[16 July 2019 21:04 · alexandra.pollard]

Molly-Mae's thousand yard stare just then was quite alarming

[16 July 2019 21:07 · alexandra.pollard]

Um, how is it that no Islanders have ever used the Hideaway facilities until now?