Love Island 2026 star Lola Deal has entered the villa with a unique background as a former police detective. The 28-year-old from Kent is using her investigative skills to find love, hoping to weed out the bad boys and land a genuine partner. Here is everything you need to know about Lola Deal, from her age and Instagram to her career in law enforcement.
Who is Love Island's Lola Deal?
Lola Deal is a 28-year-old former detective from Kent. She has taken a break from her career in the police force to appear on series 13 of Love Island, swapping her handcuffs for a chance at romance in Spain. Her Instagram handle is @loladealx.
Why did Lola leave the police force?
Lola struggled with the work-life balance of being a detective. She said: "I was really struggling with the work-life balance of it all. I had the best time, I had the best team. But I think just for me and myself, I was struggling. Especially when I got family members and friends working more usual, normal shifts." She also found it hard to maintain relationships due to irregular shifts, noting that it was "difficult to try to maintain a relationship, not impossible by any means, but difficult."
What is Lola looking for in Love Island?
Lola wants a "genuine" man who is intelligent and as into her as she is into them. She said: "I want to find someone who is actually the love of my life, like obsessed with me kind of thing. I think I'm missing someone who is obsessed with me! I like book smart - but even if they're not book smart, I like someone who is actually teaching me stuff. Someone who does everything for me, but I can't take the p*ss." She is not afraid to ruffle feathers but will back off if a couple is serious.
With her detective background, Lola is confident in her ability to find a good match. Now that she is not working and will be living with her potential partner, she believes there is nothing stopping her from finding Mr Right.
