EXCLUSIVE: Love Island’s Harrison Solomon and Lauren Wood speak in their first joint interview as Harrison makes a huge life-changing decision days after leaving the ITV2 show
Love Island star Harrison Solomon has revealed he won’t be returning to America after finding love with Lauren Wood — just days after walking out of the villa in an emotional bombshell exit.
In their first joint exclusive chat with The Mirror, the 22-year-old, who previously lived in the US, said the decision to stay in the UK was easy after the whirlwind of fame, controversy, and romance that followed his time on the ITV2 show.
“As it stands, I’m not going back to America,” Harrison confirmed. “Coming off Love Island, I want to be around people who love and support me — my family, my friends… and Lauren.”
The couple, who were brought together during the infamous Casa Amor twist, have been inseparable ever since. Lauren, 26, entered the villa halfway through the summer series, instantly catching Harrison’s eye despite him being coupled up with original islander Toni. And while the Derby lad’s journey was anything but smooth — involving late-night tears, public backlash, and emotional goodbyes — he insists he has no regrets.
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When Harrison first entered the villa as a bombshell almost 5 weeks ago, viewers weren’t quite sure what to make of him. Charming, flirty, and confident, he quickly coupled up with Toni, and the pair looked like a solid match — at first.
But everything changed when Casa Amor hit, and Lauren strutted into the picture. “I knew I was going in for Harrison,” Lauren admits. “He’s 100% my type. As cringe as it sounds, he’s my type to a T. But I didn’t expect the connection to be so instant.”
Harrison echoed the sentiment. “As soon as I saw her, I got this giddy feeling. I fancied her straight away, and the more we talked, the more we realised how much we had in common. It just flowed.”
Their chemistry was undeniable — but it came at a cost. Harrison’s decision to bring Lauren back to the main villa shocked the group, especially Toni, who was left single and blindsided. What followed was a tense recoupling, a teary confrontation, and one of the most emotional exits of the season so far.
“Trying to navigate getting to know two people at once — there’s no handbook for that,” Harrison admits. “I definitely didn’t go about things the right way, and I hurt people along the way. But it was never malicious.”
After Lauren was dumped from the island, Harrison shocked everyone by voluntarily leaving the villa 24 hours later to be with her on the outside.
“People said I shouldn’t leave, but I knew I had to. That day without her made me realise what I wanted,” he said. “It wasn’t a good 24 hours. I just sat and reflected. I went in to find something real, and I knew that was Lauren.” Since leaving the show, the couple have been adjusting to life in the real world — but without the 24/7 cameras.
“We’ve been on proper dates, shopping in London, and just enjoying time together,” Lauren shared. “It’s nice just being us, not ‘Harrison and Lauren from Love Island.’”
The pair have already spoken to each other’s families over FaceTime and say meeting in person is on the cards soon. “She spoke to my whole family. We’ll get to boyfriend and girlfriend status in the near future,” Harrison teased. “She wants me to pop the question now.”
Their first official date? “Harry’s just outside Harrods,” he revealed. “We planned it while in the villa, so we knew exactly what we wanted to do when we got out.”
But it hasn’t all been sunshine and selfies. Harrison faced backlash after Women’s Aid raised concerns about “misogynistic behaviour” during his time on the show, particularly relating to how he navigated his connections with Toni and Lauren.
“It was hard to see,” he said of the articles. “I don’t believe those labels reflect who I am at all. I’ve definitely made mistakes, but none of it came from a bad place. Everyone close to me — even Toni — knows that.”
In one of his final villa scenes, Harrison got visibly emotional during a heartfelt chat with Toni, apologising for how things ended. “She told me I wasn’t a bad person, just that I went about things the wrong way,” he said. “That meant a lot. I needed that conversation.”
While the show aired just one hour a day, both Harrison and Lauren insist that their connection was deeper than what viewers may have seen.
“People think it was all PDA, but it wasn’t,” Lauren said. “We were genuinely getting to know each other. We were glued to each other’s sides every day.” Harrison agreed: “We had proper chats, laughs, and just clicked on every level. That’s why I left.”
With their relationship going strong, the couple are taking things slow — but seriously. “There’s no pressure,” said Harrison. “We’re just enjoying this chapter and taking it day by day.”
And what about watching the show back? “Not yet,” Lauren laughed. “We’ve seen TikToks and little clips, but we’ll probably binge it in a few months when we’ve got time.”
Looking back, Harrison says the toughest part wasn’t the drama — it was hurting people unintentionally. “I cared about both girls at one point, and I know my indecision caused pain. That’s what I regret the most.” But he also knows he’s come out of it with something real. “I left Love Island with what I went in for. That’s all I could’ve asked for.”
Love Island continues nightly on ITV2 and ITVX.
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