Love Island 2026 star Tina Rad has admitted to rekindling her relationship with her 'on-off boyfriend' just days after leaving the villa, sparking questions about her motives for joining the show. The 25-year-old Geordie bombshell, who finished the series without a romantic partner, took to TikTok to confess that she has been back in contact with her former flame following some shock family news.
Tina's Emotional Confession
In a three-part video series, Tina detailed her complicated love life, revealing that she has been 'on-and-off' with a mystery man for nearly two years. She explained that she has 'never been single from the age of 13 to 24' and that all her past partners had cheated on her, leading to a 'really bad love life'.
"You guys wanted a story time about my love life, I'll give you a story time about my love life," she began. "Never been single from the age of 13 to, I think, like, 24. It's been nearly two years I've been single, and on-and-off with this boy."
From Friends with Benefits to Confusion
Tina went on to say that she tried a 'friends with benefits' arrangement with the man, but after six months, she fell in love and 'came clean' with him. However, he had 'different plans', and they weren't exclusive.
"He kept kissing people, doing all this stuff, telling me a different story and then I'm leaving the country every time crying because I'm so confused," she said. "I'm quitting my job, going travelling for three months... So basically heartbroken, all this stuff doing my thing and that night before I go to Thailand, I applied for Love Island because I knew he wanted to go on."
The Rekindling After the Villa
Since leaving the villa, Tina revealed that she called her ex after learning about a family issue, despite knowing it wasn't a good idea. She said, "In a nutshell I came off Love Island. This is the juicy part and I'm crying because I found out something happened with my family and I rang him. He's my comfort, [I] shouldn't have done it."
During the call, she asked if he was seeing anyone, and he admitted he was, but then told her he had cut things off to give their relationship a real shot. Tina, however, struggled to let go of the hurt, saying, "I kicked off quite a bit, I can't let that go... I'm kicking off all the time, which is so difficult because I've never fancied someone so much in my life."
Fan Reactions and Questions
Fans were left confused by her admission, with some questioning why she even signed up for Love Island if she was still hung up on her ex. But many showed support, with one follower commenting, "Awww girl just want to give you a hug. Love u girl keep ur head up high," and another writing, "You are so pretty, the boys are just dumb to drop a baddie like you."
Others called her an 'icon' and a 'queen', with one fan saying, "Tina your gorgeous!! The right person will come eventually." Another added, "The villa wasn't ready for this Geordie sweetheart. Thank you for putting Aidan in his place I also would have stood up for you like Jasmine did all baddie Queens must stick together."
What's Next for Tina?
Tina confirmed she is currently 'dating people' but didn't clarify whether that includes her ex or if she has moved on for good. Her confession also clears up speculation about a potential romance with co-star Tommy Murphy, as she and Tommy haven't taken their post-villa snog any further, and he has since moved on with Charleen Murphy.
Despite the drama, Tina remains a fan favourite, and her candid TikTok story has only increased her popularity. Whether she'll find lasting love remains to be seen, but her honesty has certainly won over many viewers.
