After eight arduous weeks in the villa, Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan emerged as the winners of Winter Love Island 2023. The couple, who spent most of their time in the villa as underdogs, stole fans’ hearts very late in the game. Still, for Kai, the road to victory on Winter Love Island 2023 has been anything but smooth. The 24-year-old PE teacher was one of the original Islanders and quickly formed a connection with Tanyel Revan during the early stages.
The two eventually grew apart despite trying to make it work, and Kai found himself on the fringes. Kai then landed in more trouble after he was put up for possible eviction alongside Aaron Waters, 24, and Spencer Wilks, 24. The girls had the difficult task of selecting two of the three boys to send home. At the time, Kai and Olivia Hawkins had begun to develop a strong connection, and she tried her best to convince the girls to save Kai. When the girls asked if she had a connection with Kai, Olivia responded,
“Yeah, I do, I can’t lie, as soon as I gave him the impression that I liked him, he’s been putting all his effort into me.”
Eventually, Kai ends up saved by the girls after Olivia makes a solid case for him. From that moment, Kai hardly put a foot wrong and sealed his spot in the final after recoupling with Casa Amor girl Sanam Harrinanan. Although Kai and Sanam became an item after Casa Amor — making their romance the shortest of the remaining three finalist couples — they demonstrated enough genuine chemistry to set themselves apart as clear fan favorites. So it wasn’t a surprise to most of the fans when they were announced as the winners of Winter Love Island 2023.
Kai Kept It Real Unlike The Other Islanders
Kai’s popularity skyrocketed after Casa Amor in a way that shocked many of the show’s viewers. For someone dubbed “the most boring” Islander in the villa, his rise to prominence within a few weeks can only be described as epic. Fans even began to make noise about how Kai had one of the biggest redemption arcs the show has ever seen. However, some fans quickly pointed out that Kai’s personality never really changed, but most of the fans didn’t pay much attention to him because they fixated on other “dramatic” Islanders.
Ahead of the finals, Reddit user Cautious_one started a conversation about Kai with the tagline, “Unpopular opinion: Kai.” The OP explained how many fans once disliked Kai. However, when the Islanders began to show their true colors, fans began to appreciate Kai’s rare qualities in the villa. Most users agreed with the OP’s thought and lauded Kai for staying true to himself throughout the season. Some fans also highlighted how Kai steered clear of messy situations and maintained a good relationship with Tanyel after they split.
Kai Stayed Committed to His Relationship With Sanam
One of the major things that won Kai several admirers within the Love Island fanbase was his unwavering commitment to his relationship with Sanam. Although Kai and Olivia recoupled during Casa Amor, the ring girl tried severally to guilt-trip him over his relationship with Sanam, but Kai would have none of it. The PE teacher also turned down Olivia’s overtures towards him and remained focused on his relationship with Sanam. His actions earned him so much praise from fans, who loved how he stood up to Olivia.
Crucially, Sanam reciprocated Kai’s energy, and the two shared similar traits making their relationship even sweeter. Their romance was just so pleasurable to watch, and many of the show’s fans found themselves drawn to their positive energy. Unlike other couples who relied on a lot of drama to stay relevant, Kai and Sanam put their palpable chemistry on display, which paid off. Fans now hope their big win will lead to more focus on genuine connections by future Love Island contestants.
