Why Did Love Island's Jess Gale And Ched Uzor Split?

13 February 2024, 12:40

Callum Jones and Jess Gale might be going strong now. But what happened to her ex Ched Uzor? How long did Ched and Jess date and why did they split up?

As we jump into the last week of Love Island: All Stars, new love has bloomed before our eyes. The unlikely pairing of Callum Jones and Jess Gale has viewers' eyebrows quizzically raised. But whatever happened to Jess’s last Love Island love, the big cuddly teddy bear that was Ched Uzor?

Ched and Jess met on the first ever winter edition of Love Island series six in 2020, ironically the very same season her current beau Callum met his ex-partner of three years, Molly Smith. Jess appeared alongside her twin sister Eve on episode one of the season as a bombshell but she was unlucky in love until she met Ched in Casa Amor on Day 21.

• Read more: Love Island Heart Rate Challenge Results In Full As The Backlash Begins
• Read more: Love Island’s Callum And Molly – What Happened And Why They Split

Whilst the pair finished strong and in each other's arms in fourth place, in May 2020 the pair announced their split. So what happened between Jess and Ched, how long were they actually together and why did they break up?

Why did Ched and Jess split?

With their season of Love Island wrapping up in February 2020, Ched and Jess were launched into the world as a fresh new couple right before the global pandemic hit. A difficult time for well established couples let alone a pair who had only met each other a few weeks back.

As the world locked down, Jess was isolating in her apartment with her twin sister Eve and Ched’s home base was Suffolk. Speaking to Secure The Insecure Podcast at the time, Ched explained; “We came out, as you can imagine we had interviews together up and down… we were in London, we were in Manchester.”

Ched went on to say, “Then I came home and then the following Monday we got locked down. So she was in lockdown with her sisters and I was in Suffolk at home with my family. So we haven’t seen each other really.”

“We voice-note everyday. It’s just harder. Obviously when you haven’t seen somebody you feel like you are not as close.”

Ched announced this break up in May 2020 and a month later Jess confirmed it on Instagram posting a story that read, “To confirm, myself and Ched have split. We are still good friends and I wish him all the best. X”

What happened between Ched and Jess on Love Island?

Jess was left heartbroken in her first week on her original season of Love Island when her twin sister Eve was eliminated on day six. The twins are incredibly close, but being apart gave Jess the time to really shine. She found herself coupled up with Mike Boateng, Nas Majeed and Luke Mabbott before finally meeting Ched at Casa Amor.

There was immediate attraction between the two and when they returned to the villa arm in arm, they went from strength to strength until the end of the show. Their coupling gave Jess the break she desperately needed after the rollercoaster of emotions she went through in the villa.

Heart Rate challenge results creates awkwardness for the islanders

How long were Ched and Jess together?

Not including their time together on Love Island, Ched and Jess only managed to stay together for four months after the show ended. Which, when it comes to Love Island relationships, is actually quite impressive. But with press junkets forcing proximity for a chunk of that time, how deep could their connection really have been? Here’s to hoping she has better luck this time round with Callum.

Love Island continues tonight at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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