The wait is almost over, and Love Island fans are poised to meet the cast of the most anticipated series yet.
It’s been two years since the last summer series, with the show’s winter edition (which began in January last year) proving to be a comparative ratings flop.
The Love Island 2021 contestants currently gearing up to hit our screens include a royal wedding planner, a semi-professional footballer and a former glamour model.
PE teacher Hugo Hammond, who was born with clubfoot, is the show’s first ever disabled contestant. But the 24-year-old’s disability hasn’t stopped him following his sporting dreams, and he’s even played cricket for England.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hugo Hammond.
Hugo Hammond – key facts
Age: 24
Job: PE Teacher
From: Hampshire
Instagram: @hugo_hammond
Why does Hugo want to take part in Love Island?
Meeting new people has been difficult for all of us with a year of lockdowns and zoom dates, so it seems Hugo is entering the villa as an opportunity to meet people and get back onto the dating scene.
“I’ve been single for a while now,” he says. “With the current climate, it’s been really hard to get back into dating. I saw it as an opportunity to have an amazing fun summer and put myself back out there.”
What does Hugo do for work?
Hugo is a secondary-school PE teacher, and he absolutely loves inspiring kids to get into sport. “I love all my sports. It’s great to be able to pass on that enthusiasm to be physically active to the younger generation and hopefully, they feel the same about me teaching them.”
But will the kids be watching? “The younger lot I teach I imagine might not be watching it,” he says. “Then a lot of my seniors that I was working with broke up at half term with the GCSE and BTEC. So, I hadn’t seen them for a few weeks anyway. I’m sure they’re going to be shocked when they do see me on there, for those that do watch it!”
“Hopefully, they’ll support me and they’ll have a laugh with it,” he adds. Fingers crossed!
As for going back to teaching, it sounds like Hugo isn’t throwing his eggs into any particular basket right now. “It’s definitely something I want to stay connected with. I absolutely love my job,” he says. “It was my training year this year, so I’m not affiliated to a specific school for when I go back in September. So I’ll just have to see what happens from this great opportunity, and then go from there.”
Who did Hugo play cricket for?
Hugo has represented his country, playing cricket for England PD (Physical Disability) around the world in places such as Bangladesh and Dubai.
The sporty singleton was born with clubfoot, which is where a baby has their feet pointed down and inwards at birth.
Speaking about his condition, Hugo says: “I had lots of operations when I was a kid. You can only really tell when I walk barefoot. I’ve got a really short achilles heel. I walk slightly on my tip toes.”
What kind of dater is Hugo?
Hugo’s dating past has been a mix of relationships and playing the field or, as he puts it: “I’m a relationship person, with bits and bobs in between.”
“My past relationship was just over two years long, I’ve had a couple of other relationships in my past but not as serious,” he says. “And I went to university and I had a load of fun there.”
Hugo says his most recent relationship ended at the start of this year. “Lockdown and distance – put those two together and that’s a combination that wrecks relationships.”
As for whether he’ll follow in the footsteps of Kem Cetinay and Amber Davies, and Eyal Booker and Megan Barton-Hanson, and have sex on TV, he’s keeping an open mind.
“It’s something I’ve thought about but I’m not going to say yes, I’m not going to say no, because I don’t know who I’m going to meet,” he says. “I don’t know if I’m going to have that connection with anyone on there… So I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”
What is Hugo looking for in a partner?
The 24-year-old says he’s not into fakery – whether that’s looks or personality – and he’s after someone he can “be myself around”.
He also can’t stand people who are constantly on their phones – so he may well be in luck in the villa, where contestants are unable to access the internet on their mobiles.
Most of all, he’s looking for someone that makes him laugh, whose company he enjoys. “I’m looking for someone that I can be myself around and just have a fantastic summer with,” he says.
Aren’t we all, Hugo?
Want to meet the other Love Island 2021 contestants?
- Shannon Singh
- Aaron Francis
- Sharon Gaffka
- Jake Cornish
- Liberty Poole
- Brad McClelland
- Kaz Kamwi
- Toby Aromolaran
- Chloe Burrows
- Faye Winter
Love Island returns to ITV2 and ITV Hub on Monday, June 28th. For more info check out Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook. While you’re waiting, check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/2TOw4MT
