Winter Love Island winners Kai Fagan and Sanam Harrinanan, both 26, have opened up about their careers and finances after rising to fame on the show and snagging the £50,000 prize.
The couple met and fell in love in the winter edition of the show in early 2023, and got engaged this April. Unlike most successful islanders, however, both chose to return to their day jobs once back in the real world, instead of becoming full time influencers. Now, Kai is back at school as a PE teacher, with Sanam returned to work as a social worker.
In a new interview, both reality TV stars shared how “passionate” they were about their careers, and made it clear that quitting wouldn’t have been an option. “There's a perception that if you go on Love Island and then go back to work, you've been unsuccessful but that's really not the case with us because we both felt so strong about our careers and our passions. It's a case of living the best of both worlds,” Sanam explained.
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Dave Benett/Getty Images)Talking to the Daily Mail, she added that they both valued feeling that they were “being impactful” with their work and “making a difference,” with both loving working with kids. “I wasn't on the show for a career change. I was going on there for the experience and for the opportunity to meet somebody,” Kai shared.
The couple also revealed that money doesn’t drive them in their social media after the show, and that they turn down influencing deals they’re not truly invested in. Kai explained that he wouldn’t want to feel like he “couldn’t be himself” online, and didn;t want to have to churn out content for money. His girlfriend agreed with him completely, sharing that she’d prefer to take less money than “get a six figure deal” she was uncomfortable with.
Kai also explained how he was with money after leaving the villa, revealing that they only got £300 per week while on the show and then left without jobs lined up, meaning that the prize money was vital for tiding them over while they got back on their feet. Thankfully, both Sanam and Kai shared that they didn’t care about big brands or luxury splurges, and divulged that they didn't feel the need to use their prize money on anything “extravagant.”
Kai added that he was “quite materialistic” years ago, but is now more of a Primark man. Similarly, Sanam shared that she was more of a saver than a spender. The social worker spilled that the prize money helped her and Kai set up their first home together, while she also sent plenty in the direction of supporting her mum and other family members.
Earlier this year, she shared a post explaining that she’s passed all of her exams to be fully qualified as a social worker, and added some wise words about being in the public eye. "This is your reminder reality TV doesn't have to ruin your image or career. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to. Stay true to yourself always,” she wrote on Instagram.
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