Love Island UK fans have taken to social media to praise and celebrate the winners of the ITV2 show’s latest series for “making history.”

Mimii Ngulube and Josh Oyinsan became the first Black couple to win the reality show since its launch nine years ago.

Mimii Ngulube, 24, hails from Portsmouth and works as a mental health nurse. Her roots trace back to Zimbabwe. Josh Oyinsan, 29, was born in Britain but has Nigerian heritage and is a former footballer.

The couple won the hearts of many, securing the public vote and the £50,000 prize, beating other finalists Nicole Samuel and Ciaran Davies, Matilda Draper and Sean Stone, and Jessica Spencer and Ayo Odukoya.

Viewers saw the result during Monday night’s live final, after watching the remaining couples share emotional declarations of love with one another. Josh wrote a poem for Mimii, who described him as “attentive, kind, gentle, and loving.” The couple experienced ups and downs in the villa, with fellow islanders suggesting Mimii still had feelings for Yao.

During their eight weeks in the villa on the Spanish island of Mallorca, this year’s contestants missed a Euros tournament, an Olympics opening ceremony, and a general election—three major UK events that are few and far between.

Their time in the villa was equally eventful, with shock dumpings, dramatic recouplings, and sneaky kisses on the famous terrace. Love Island has faced criticism in the past for its lack of inclusion of Black and Asian contestants.

Once one of ITV’s biggest shows, Love Island has seen a steady decline in viewing figures since its peak. In response, producers introduced a social media ban preventing friends and family from posting on behalf of islanders—a measure first introduced in 2023, briefly lifted for the All Stars series, and then reinstated for the latest season. This change aimed to protect contestants from facing abuse from angry fans upon leaving the villa.