Love Island Games‘ Isaiah “Zay” Campbell and Lucinda Strafford are telling all about plans for their prize money, online backlash and more after winning season 2.
Us Weekly caught up with Zay and Lucinda after the pair’s surprising victory. The underdogs-turned-champions teased their future as a couple — including what they will use their $250,000 earnings for and more.
How does it feel to win? Has it sunk in yet?
Zay: I’m always going to remain a humble king, so I don’t really think it’s ever really going to hit me, to be honest. Not until the wire hits officially. It’s an amazing thing, but it’s crazy. It’s actually insane because how many people were there in total and it’s just crazy to be the two people that won.
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It feels like Love Island Games is a chance to do things differently compared to your initial seasons. How did each of you approach this spinoff? What were you maybe hoping to get out of it?
Lucinda: I wasn’t actually thinking that I was going to win at all. Full stop, I thought I was going to be in there for a few days or maybe a week. I was saying that even if I make it to day five, I’ll be very happy. It just kept going on and on and on. Honestly, I didn’t really have any strategies whilst I was there. I went with the flow.
Zay: For me too, I didn’t really come in there with any certain strategy. I felt like it was going to be a little bit more similar to Love Island. But obviously, I’ve never really dealt with games before, so I didn’t really think the whole alliance thing — or really having to pick a side — was such a big deal. But obviously that’s what got us to win.
With Love Island Games, it is about balancing love and competition. Did it feel that way to you?
Lucinda: I am not going to lie, I didn’t really enjoy the games aspect of things — just because I’m not really competitive. It’s not something I would normally do. But I am happy that, obviously, we did well in them. As the show went on, I was trying harder and harder in the games and you could really see that as well. But I was definitely there for love.
Zay: It was honestly kind of 50/50 for me because you never want to expect anything or really go into it with your hopes up. It was very 50/50 for me with the whole love [aspect] and then, obviously, the games.
Would you say Love Island Games works more in your favor in terms of finding romance because there’s not as much pressure?
Lucinda: I would say it made it harder. A lot of people would then look at people in a way, like, “Are you good for the games? Are you good at competing?” That was instead of just pure romantic connection. In that aspect, it made it harder for myself and other people.
Zay: I would think it made it harder, but it honestly lets you get to see [a] different side of people. It’s also really beneficial in that sense as well.
Was there a point in Love Island Games where you started to realize you could win?
Lucinda: My specific moment was when Johnny [Middlebrooks] and Gabby [Allen] got dumped. Literally, it wasn’t up until the very, very end. I was like, “OK, we actually could win this.” But when I got told that we were in the final four, I felt quite calm. I was obviously nervous, because it’s scary to go into a mega duel. But I felt like it was all going to be OK and we were going to win in a really weird way. I felt a sense of relief.
Zay: I also thought we were going to win slightly earlier — maybe when we got told we were part of the last four. But you actually never know what’s going to happen on the day.
Did fan voting help ease your nerves?
Lucinda: When I got saved by America’s vote, I was with Tyrique [Hyde] in a friendship couple. That feeling is the nicest feeling ever because, obviously, you don’t know what’s going on outside. You don’t know anything. It just is a sense of relief that you’re like, “OK, I can breathe now.” So that was really nice.
Is a win better with a partner?
Zay: I would think it makes things more enjoyable to not only make it feel like you have to split the money or you have to do these things, but it definitely comes from more of your heart and it made things more smooth and more calm. It helped with better teamwork, too. So I think that’s ultimately what led up to us winning — and also maybe being a little bit of underdogs, too. So I don’t really think anyone really expected us to be winning.
Did you always plan to split the money?
Zay: In my head, you can always make that money elsewhere. To be honest, I think it’s more of just remaining and keeping your ego to a low, especially when it comes with games. Because it’s an aspect where you need both parties. So you definitely can’t win with one person without the other.
Lucinda: I’m the same. When you’re doing that mega duel, it’s not one person doing it. Even if I was in a friendship couple or with someone randomly coupled up, I think I would still 100 percent split it. Just because, obviously, I wouldn’t have been able to win it without them.
Do you have plans for your share of the money?
Zay: Honestly, I don’t really have too much of a plan for it. But obviously, I want to bring my dad on a little trip and spoil my family a little bit. Also invest some of it. Just knowing that you have that is just an awesome feeling to not really have to worry about much at the moment until obviously brands and outreach and other things start to hit you. It gives you a little bit of a break until you have to go, go, go.
Lucinda: I just bought a house, so this really helps me out, because I basically put everything into this house. I’ll probably just maybe put it toward my house. Also I really want to spoil my family as well.
Since leaving the villa, have you been checking the reactions online?
Zay: Has she been checking her phone? Probably 24/7. Honestly, I was on my phone a lot in the beginning, but usually I’ve been just kind of remaining offline. I’ve tried to step away from the doom scrolling and the whole looking at stuff. But I’ve been looking through things and definitely I’m glad America likes us and me. It definitely feels good to come off that scenario because I didn’t really expect that. It was definitely a lot to deal with.
Is there anything that surprised you when seeing what viewers thought?
Zay: Honestly, a lot of the hate for Lucinda. Maybe it’s a little bit too much to be honest. In my opinion, I definitely don’t think she deserves that. But obviously, the internet is going to be the internet, which is just how things go. So I think she’s handling it very well.
Lucinda: I think it’s getting better. At the end of the day, it’s a TV show. It’s not real. So that’s all I gotta say to that.
Do you think there’s anything that people are misunderstanding?
Lucinda: It is two percent of the 100 percent of our experience. There [were] things that [were] shown in the relationships that were shown in there that weren’t actually how they were in real life.
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How do you navigate the negativity?
Zay: They can talk about it if they want. I’ve been telling her, it’s honestly just gonna help you out with reach and content. So honestly, kind of try to think of it as a blessing in disguise.
What are your plans as a couple after this?
Zay: Obviously, Love Island Games is half the length of a normal Love Island and we met midway through. Obviously, I do like her. I enjoy spending time with her and I do think it’s obviously going to be tough with us being long distance. But it’s one flight away.
Have you started to make plans?
Lucinda: I want to come back for Halloween. I think I need to go home for at least a week. Just to see my house and see my family. I’ll definitely come to Florida. I’m a bit of a travel bug anyway, so I don’t really stay at home very long. It actually works quite well in this because I’m always away. Sometimes I just go away for months.
It sounds like the perfect opportunity and the perfect excuse to travel more.
Lucinda: I think that as well. I love Florida as well. I’ve actually never been to Fort Lauderdale, but I do love Miami. So it will be really nice.
Love Island Games is currently streaming on Peacock.
