Love Island winners Jess Harding and Sammy Root share a triumphant kiss as they return to chilly England after unexpected result saw them scoop £50,000 prize money

Love was still in the air, but the air was significantly colder as Sammy Root and Jess Harding left Mallorca and flew back to the United Kingdom on Wednesday. 

Two days earlier the couple stunned fans by winning the latest summer edition of Love Island ahead of clear favourites Lochan Nowacki and Whitney Adebayo, becoming £50,000 richer in the process. 

But the controversy surrounding their unexpected triumph was swept aside as the couple left the Spanish villa and flew home courtesy of Jet2.com – sister company of Love Island travel partner VIBE by Jet2holidays.

Evidently accustomed to the soaring temperatures currently sweeping mainland Europe, Jess, 22, wore a thigh-skimming minidress as she exited the plane and made her way onto the tarmac at London Stansted.

The aesthetics practitioner rounded off her look with a pair of Converse boots, while her trademark blonde hair was swept into a messy ponytail.    

Joining his girlfriend, Sammy, also 22, opted for a casual black hooded top and matching sweat pants as he returned to English soil for the first time since June. 

The Kent-based project manager, an unpopular figure among Love Island fans, shared a jubilant kiss with Jess before the couple made their way to the arrivals lounge. 

ITV2 viewers were perplexed on Monday evening as they pipped Whitney and Lochan to the show’s £50,000 prize, despite the stop-start nature of their relationship – owed in no small part to Sammy’s questionable antics. 

Speaking in a post-show interview, the pair opened opened on their victory, where they told how they were ‘shocked to their system’ at the unexpected win.

Sammy said of their win: ‘It feels amazing, it’s hard to have any words for it really but it’s very surreal.’

While Jess admitted: ‘I feel like it was a close call and everyone did so well. To win it is over the moon. Very positive, happy and overwhelmed.’

Sammy added: ‘Like Jess said, when we were stood up there we looked at everyone and thought they were all worthy to win.

‘It was hard to work it out. When our names were called it was a shock to the system, but a nice shock.’

The pair revealed they were looking forward to developing their romance outside the villa.

‘I feel like I’m ready to enjoy the outside world with Sammy, it’s been an amazing opportunity and I am grateful to start it and finish it as a winner so very happy,’ said Jess. 

Sammy added: ‘It’s been a very very long journey and I’ve enjoyed every step of the way, the best two months of my life. It’s exciting for us to crack on on the outside.’