Who is Love Island star Haris Namani? Meet the TV salesman from Doncaster

Love Island is back for its second-ever South Africa winter season, bringing sunshine to the gloomy UK this January.

ITV’s winter edition returns Monday 16 January, welcoming Maya Jama as the show’s brand new host, who takes over for Laura Whitmore.

Ahead of its premiere, the series has revealed the first 10 contestants, which include the show’s first partially sighted star, a contestant with vitiligo, and a former body double for Emma Watson.

Among the 2023 newcomers is Haris Namani, the second youngest contestant on the series.

Who is Haris Namani?

Haris Namani is a 21-year-old TV salesman from Doncaster. His celebrity crush is Jennifer Lopez and he’s unusually good at yoga and ping pong.

The Love Island winter cast of 2023 (ITV)

What will Haris bring to the villa?

“I’m different, I’m a unique guy, the way I act; confident, not awkward, especially with the girls,” he said. “I’m friendly, I’m very respectful as well. Anyone who meets me, I don’t think they have anything bad to say about me. I don’t give them that bad impression to say, ‘Oh, I don’t want to speak to him again.’”

What is Haris’ biggest ick?

“Big feet. Anything over a size 5.”

Has he ever been in love?

Apart from a few short-lived situationships, Haris has never met the one. “I’ve never found love,” he said. “I’ve never taken a girl home, I’m not going to say I’ve fallen in love until I’ve taken them to meet my mum and dad or sisters and brother. If I bring a girl home, she has to be the one.”

What is Haris’ ideal date, if money was no object?

“Go to Mykonos, get food delivered to us in the pool, go on a jet ski and hire a boat out.”

What is Haris’ Instagram?

Haris Namani’s Instagram handle is @haris_namanii.

His bio, like his fellow contestants, reads: “I’m off to find love in the @loveisland villa. See you soon!”

For the first time in the show’s history, ITV has asked its contestants to make their social accounts “dormant” while they are on the show. This means that nothing can be published on their behalf, in an effort to prevent the “adverse effects of social media”.

Love Island returns 16 January on ITV2 and ITVX.