Some Love Islanders had surprising careers and wages before setting foot in the villa this summer – from footballers to influencers, OK! takes a look at their income

They may be busy soaking up the sun and ‘going for chats’ in the Love Island villa, but the 2024 cast have also waved goodbye – perhaps temporarily – to their careers for a summer of love. As the eleventh series of Love Island continues to bring us more drama, bombshells and dumpings, OK! takes a look at what the Islanders did for work before becoming the stars who grace our TV screens every evening.

Not only is there reality TV royalty starring on the show but there’s also a mental health nurse, a semi-pro footballer and a HR coordinator. Here are the Islanders’ estimated earnings… and some will surprise you!

This may come as a surprise to many, but according to reports, Joey Essex isn’t getting paid anything extra to appear on the hit ITV2 dating show (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Joey Essex

The new cast isn’t afraid of drama and it all started when the first bombshell of the season was revealed to be, Joey Essex in episode one. Maya Jama then had to send islander Sam Taylor home after Joey stole his girl, Samantha Kenny, on night two.

This may come as a surprise to many, but according to reports, Joey isn’t getting paid anything extra to appear on the hit ITV2 dating show. He is already a celebrity in his own right with an estimated net worth of £8 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Joey Essex is already a celebrity in his own right with an estimated net worth of £8 million (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

But in this instance, he’s believed to be taking home the same amount as the other contestants. Reportedly, the figure sits around £375 a week which is supposed to subsidise rent and bills for the contestants whilst they’re away.

According to a source at MailOnline : “Joey is being treated like any other Love Island contestant, he’s playing by the same rules and won’t be given any preferential treatment. He hasn’t been paid an appearance fee or any money at all for signing up to the show, not a penny.”

Tiffany Leighton

Twenty five year old Tiffany has been a bombshell that has got everyone talking. She’s already caused some major drama since joining the dating show on 14th June, after sharing a cheeky kiss with Joey Essex during a game of beer pong and cracking on with Ronnie Vint.

Tiffany Leighton is from Hertfordshire and works as a HR coordinator (Image: Instagram/Tiffany Leighton)
The bombshell is from Hertfordshire and works as a HR coordinator. According to Glassdoor, the average salary for a HR Coordinator is £29,889 per year in United Kingdom.

Harriet Blackmore

Contestant Harriet works as a personal shopper to the stars so she could be earning a large sum outside the villa too. According to the the Daily Star, some of the Love Island stars had profitable careers before heading to the Spanish villa.

With a personal shopper salary of around £31,000 and an additional income from her dancing career, Harriet is just one of the Islanders who could be raking it in.

Contestant Harriet Blackmore works as a personal shopper to the stars so she could be earning a large sum (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Grace Jackson

Grace Jackson, who previously dated fellow Islander Joey Essex for six weeks, is a successful model and has worked on multiple campaigns including Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty and Fashionova. However, she doesn’t just rely on modelling for her income as she also has two businesses she runs on the side.

Grace Jackson, who previously dated fellow Islander Joey Essex, is a successful model and runs her own businesses
Firstly, she co-owns a social media management agency called Social Clubhouse and Grace also runs an events company called ‘Vamos’. The average salary for Social Media Manager is £37,598 per year so Manchester-based Grace, who has an incredible ‘glass-house home’, could have been earning this and more with her side hustles.

Ronnie Vint

Ronnie Vint, a hunky footballer from South East London, is good pals with Loose Women’s Olivia Attwood and her husband Bradley Dack. Playing for Lewes FC, Ronnie could be earning between £1,000 and £1,500 a week, which equates to a yearly pay packet of around £52k.

Samantha Kenny

Liverpool-based makeup artist Samantha Kenny could be earning big bucks outside of the villa (Image: Instagram/ @samanthakennymakeup)
Liverpool-based makeup artist Samantha Kenny could be earning big bucks outside of the villa, with a makeup artist’s average salary being £39,000. The former Love Island star recently reunited with her family as she landed back in the UK after Tuesday night’s (18 June) brutal villa dumping.

The makeup artist’s shock exit came after a recoupling in which bombshells Grace, Tiffany and Wil had first picks. Grace decided to couple up with former flame Joey, leaving Samantha single and dumped from the Island.

Mimii Ngulube

Islander Mimii has chosen a career dedicated to helping others as a mental health nurse outside of the villa. With this as her career, her salary could range from a substantial £35,000 to £59,000 based on her level of experience.

In a dramatic recent entrance, Uma kissed all six boys in front of the girls and then took Ayo on a date. This initial encounter brought Mimii to tears and Ayo found himself entangled in a love triangle – with both Uma and Mimi vying for his attention.

Uma initially stole Ayo from Mimii during her first recoupling, but Mimii took him back in the recent recoupling ceremony.

Islander Mimii has chosen a career dedicated to helping others as a mental health nurse (Image: ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Ayo Odukoya

Ayo has been turning heads on Love Island 2024 and it’s no surprise that he previously worked as a model in London. Doing this, Ayo could have been earning £40,000 a year before entering the Spanish villa.

The hunk also plays football for Isthmian League North side Redbridge FC – and recently helped his team lift the Essex Senior Cup. Being a footballer has no doubt held top up his bank account over the years – with reports being a salary of around £52k a year.

During one of Love Island’s nightly episodes last week, fans were left fuming with Ayo , as they claimed he ‘rudely’ dismissed fellow Islander Mimii. The pair initially hit it off straight away upon entering the villa. However, the arrival of bombshell Uma sent a shockwave through the villa, when she took Ayo to the Hideaway.

Sam Taylor

Former Love Island star Sam Taylor will likely be returning to his hairstyling role since being axed from the show. Hairstylists rake in an approximate salary of £25k per year at least. (Image: Ian Hippolyte/ITV/Love Island/REX/Shutterstock)
Before making waves in the villa, Sam Taylor was handy with scissors as a hairstylist raking in an approximate salary of £25k per year at least. Since his stint on Love Island was so short, it’s likely the TV star will be returning to his former position.

Prior to entering the villa, Sam was hopeful that he’d be able to use his hairdressing talent to catch the ladies’ eye. “It definitely has to come out, the hairdressing skills. I’m definitely going to use it to my advantage! ” He shared with Mirror and other news outlets.