Shivangi Sinha
While finding love on Hulu’s ‘Love Island UK’ is no small feat, there are many other lessons to be learned. Contestants sometimes choose to stay in a couple even though they have no romantic inclinations, simply for their safety. In season 13, Victoria Onanusi and Ope Sowande started exploring the feelings between them in the middle of the season. However, they had only a brief time together when a game of Truth or Dare risked their position in the villa itself.
Victoria and Ope Had Eyes for Other Contestants After Being Paired Up
Ope Sowande started out the season by being coupled up with Angelista Gunda. They had started on good and stable ground, but there were issues as Ope admitted that he was interested in the bombshells who were joining the villa. The first one to truly catch his eye was Victoria Onanusi. She chose to go on dates with three men. Ope was one of them, and she had a great time with him. However, she also had a strong connection with Sam Woodward. In the coupling round, when Victoria saw that her fellow bombshell, Namibia Olpherts, had chosen Sam, she decided to pair up with Ope.
While things seemed to be going somewhere positive between them, after a while, Victoria was not fully convinced that Ope was the right person for her. She hinted that he was not entirely truthful, and she did not trust him. She and Namibia agreed that they would switch partners and explore the possible connections, but before that, a challenge stood in the way. In a game of Truth or Dare, contestants were asked to rank the most to least powerful couples, and Ope and Victoria received the lowest number of votes. Ope had tears in his eyes while packing his bags, but he exited the villa before getting to fully follow his passion beyond his coupling.
Victoria and Ope Are No Longer Pursuing a Romantic Connection
Both Ope and Victoria have opened up about the status of their relationship. Victoria gave the final answer when she said that her time with Ope was short and bittersweet, but they had no intention of pursuing things with each other. In fact, they had both realized that they were not right for one another and were already cozying up to other contestants in the villa. They were both waiting for another round of recoupling to match with someone else, but were booted from the season before it could happen.
Victoria also said that she saw a lot of potential with Sam Woodward and that if he was still single when he left the villa, she would like to meet him outside. Ope did not share any intentions of starting another romantic relationship, but he said the experience had been a valuable learning curve for him and the best thing he had done. He and Victoria seem to be on friendly terms, but the chances of anything more happening between them are next to slim.
Victoria is Launching Her Career as a Model and Ope is an Established West End Performer
Victoria Onanusi is based out of Manchester, where she is kickstarting her modeling career. Her work and personal commitments have taken her across the globe, including a European trip in 2025, and she was even spotted at Cannes in September 2025. To support herself, she also works as a personal assistant. Victoria has spoken openly about how she had never had a boyfriend before, which made her time in the villa her first real opportunity to find love. Known for her confidence, she is quite the diva and fashionista, with a distinctive sense of style that she carries with her wherever she goes.
Ope Sowande works as a West End performer and has appeared in productions such as ‘Burlesque The Musical,’ ‘Moulin Rouge!,’ and ‘The Lion King.’ His talents extend beyond the stage, as he has also danced on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ and appeared in ‘Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas.’ A true artist at heart, Ope has built a career around performance and creativity across theatre, dance, and entertainment. He continues to explore new avenues within the creative industry while remaining passionate about the performing arts that first established his career.
Read More: Are Lola and Seán From Love Island UK Still Together?
You must be logged in to post a comment.