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Tanya Manhenga and Shaq Muhammad debuted as part of the original cast members of Winter Love Island 2023. The duo coupled with each other right from day one in the villa. They stayed faithful despite the arrival of attractive newcomers in the villa in the following weeks. However, they hit a significant bump in their relationship during the Casa Amor challenge as Tanya got her head turned by new guy Martin Akinola.
She left Shaq heartbroken when she returned to the villa with Martin. Tanya later revealed her intentions to pursue a romance with him. It didn’t take long for her to realize her mistake, and before long, the two rekindled their romance. On their road to the final, Tanya and Shaq made their relationship official during their last date. Below we look at what the two have been up to since leaving the South African villa of Winter Love Island.
Tanya and Shaq Are Still A Thing
After Casa Amor and the movie night drama, fans lost faith in Tanya and Shaq’s relationship due to their actions. Simply put, a larger section of the fanbase didn’t see the couple going that far with their relationship. Most people had them marked out as one of the first couples from the show to implode. So far, the lovebirds have proved their critics wrong with their blossoming relationship.
Barely a month after leaving the villa, Tanya and Shaq, who came fourth on the show, took their romance to the next level when they enjoyed their first romantic getaway. The pair checked into celebrity hotspot City Suites, where they enjoyed a five-star treatment while spending their first Easter together. The loved-up pair gave their fans another glimpse of their adorable relationship when Tanya pulled out all the stops to make Shaq’s milestone 25th birthday truly memorable. She first treated Shaq to a beautiful black and silver balloon display. The duo ended it with a romantic getaway with him at a posh London hotel.
Tanya Signed An Endorsement Deal
Tanya was nowhere close to being a fan favorite during her time on the show. Her Casa Amor antics and brutal breakup with Martin cemented her controversial status, alongside Olivia Hawkins, on the show. However, since leaving the villa, she has undoubtedly shaken off the “bad girl” tag. Apart from her blossoming relationship with Shaq, she has also enjoyed some career wins.
The 23-year-old influencer became the first Love Island star to bag a lucrative deal when she signed with luxury hair brand E A Hair. During the reunion show, Tanya left an indelible impression on Love Island fans when she swapped her signature black tresses for blonde highlights. The look inspired a lot of fan praise and certainly caught the attention of “E A Hair” founder Ese Abigail, who quickly snapped up the ebony beauty. While confirming the partnership, Ese told The Sun,
“We are so excited. Tanya is a dream to work with. We created her look for the Love Island Reunion show and knew then she would be the perfect fit for the brand right then.”
Tanya is undoubtedly making significant strides since leaving the Winter Love Island villa. However, she has insisted that her newly-found fame wouldn’t derail her career plans. Despite all the fanfare and media attention, the reality star still focuses on bagging her biomedical degree.
Tanya and Shaq Claimed They Got A Bad Edit On Winter Love Island
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Tanya and Shaq were among the first contestants to couple up during Winter Love Island 2023. Nevertheless, while other couples struggled, the duo firmly focused on each other. And for so long, it seemed like nothing would stop them from reaching the finale. Sadly, Casa Amor completely derailed their trajectory and spotlighted some massive character flaws in Tanya.
Things quickly went downhill for the couple, and Tanya was widely regarded as a villain by most of the show’s viewers. However, during the reunion special, Tanya distanced herself from what happened on the show and insisted she wasn’t the “big bad villain” she was made out to be on the series. She went on to slam the show’s producers for the “bad editing” they did to her scenes, which portrayed her negatively. Tanya’s boyfriend backed up her claims and described her as the kindest person he had ever met. The former airport security said,
“She’s honestly the nicest, kindest girl that I’ve ever met, and I wouldn’t be with her if that wasn’t the case.”
It is great to see that Tanya and Shaq are fulfilling the great potential they showed during the early stages of their romance in the Winter Love Island villa. Although they are not yet living together, they have already considered it and are sure it will happen sometime soon. For now, they are just happy enjoying each other’s company.