It happened fast. One minute the villa is vibing to a generic playlist, and the next, Toby Aromolaran is looking like he’s seen a ghost because Chloe Burrows decided to stir the pot. If you were watching Love Island Season 7 Episode 10 back in 2021, you remember the tension. It wasn't just typical reality TV fluff. It was the moment the season actually found its legs.
Before this, things were... fine. A bit slow, maybe? We had the initial couples trying to convince themselves they had "connections" while staring at the same four walls in Mallorca. But episode 10 was the catalyst. It’s the episode where the "good guy" narrative for Toby started to crack, and the fans began to realize that Chloe wasn't there to make friends—she was there to find a man, even if he was already taken by Kaz Kamwi.
Why Love Island Season 7 Episode 10 felt like a fever dream
The episode kicked off with the fallout from the previous night's recoupling, but the real meat of the hour was the "Horny Devils" challenge. Honestly, these challenges are usually just an excuse for the producers to get the cast in swimwear and covered in slime, but this one served a purpose. It forced secrets out. It made people uncomfortable.
Kaz and Toby were the "it" couple for about five seconds. Kaz, who eventually became a fan favorite for her genuine energy, was fully invested. Toby? He seemed like he was just happy to be there. Then Chloe happened. In Love Island Season 7 Episode 10, the conversation between Chloe and Toby on the daybed wasn't just a chat. It was a tactical maneuver. Chloe admitted she wanted to get to know him, and Toby, instead of shutting it down or being transparent with Kaz, leaned right in.
It’s easy to forget how much backlash Chloe got at the time. The internet was ruthless. But looking back with 20/20 vision, she saved the season from being a snooze-fest. Without that friction, we wouldn't have had the dramatic arcs that followed.
The Kaz, Toby, and Chloe triangle explained
Let’s be real: the communication was terrible.
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Toby’s "head turning" became a recurring theme for the rest of his time on the show, but this was the origin story. In this specific episode, the nuances of his body language spoke louder than his actual words. He told Kaz one thing and then went and giggled with Chloe five minutes later.
- Kaz felt the shift.
- The girls noticed the whispering.
- The viewers were screaming at their screens.
While this was happening, we also had the Liam and Millie "Milliam" era beginning to bloom. This was the calm before the Casa Amor storm that would eventually break the UK's collective heart. In episode 10, they were the "stable" couple, which is hilarious in hindsight given what Liam did later in the series.
What most people get wrong about the Season 7 timeline
A lot of fans mix up the episodes because so much happens in the first two weeks. People often think the big Hugo Hammond speech happened here—it didn't. That comes later. Episode 10 is the build-up. It's the slow burn of resentment.
You also have to look at the arrival of the bombshells. Lucinda Strafford and Millie Court had recently entered, and their presence was still vibrating through the villa. Brad McClelland was essentially doing backflips trying to get Lucinda’s attention, completely discarding Faye Winter in the process. It was messy. It was chaotic. It was exactly why we watch.
Faye’s reaction to the whole situation was a highlight. She’s never been one to hold back, and her commentary on the shifting loyalties provided the much-needed reality check the Islanders lacked. She saw through the "I'm just being honest" excuses that the boys were using to justify their wandering eyes.
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The technical side of the villa: Behind the scenes
Ever wonder why they all look so tired in the morning shots? It's because filming doesn't stop. The conversations you saw in Love Island Season 7 Episode 10 between Chloe and Toby likely happened at 2:00 AM.
The producers are masters at "the nudge." They don't script it—contrary to what the conspiracy theorists say—but they do ask leading questions in the Beach Hut. "So, Toby, do you think Chloe is more your type than Kaz?" Once that seed is planted, the Islander does the rest of the work.
The editing in this episode was particularly sharp. The jump-cuts between Kaz talking about her trust in Toby and Toby flirting with Chloe were brutal. It’s a classic trope, but it worked perfectly to set the stakes for the next recoupling.
The impact on the 2021 social media landscape
This was the year the "Be Kind" movement really collided with the "Villain Edit." Chloe Burrows' family actually had to release a statement because the death threats were getting so out of hand after this episode aired. It’s a dark side of the fandom that often gets overlooked.
Rewatching it now, Chloe wasn't a villain. She was a contestant on a dating show doing exactly what she was paid to do: date. The contrast between the vitriol she received then and her popularity now is staggering. She ended up becoming one of the most successful exports from that season, proving that "winning" the show isn't nearly as important as being memorable.
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Key takeaways from the episode 10 drama
If you're studying the mechanics of reality TV, this episode is a masterclass.
- The Power of the Bombshell: A bombshell doesn't need to be liked; they need to be disruptive. Chloe mastered this.
- The "Nice Guy" Fallacy: Toby showed that being "polite" while being indecisive is actually more hurtful than just being blunt.
- The Importance of the Beach Hut: This is where the audience forms their bond. Kaz’s vulnerability in the Beach Hut is why the public rallied behind her so fiercely.
The episode didn't end with a cliffhanger in the traditional sense, but the emotional cliffhanger was massive. We knew a storm was coming. We knew the Kaz and Toby experiment was failing. And we knew that the villa’s hierarchy was about to be completely flipped on its head.
How to rewatch and what to look for
If you’re going back to watch Love Island Season 7 Episode 10 on streaming platforms, keep an eye on Liberty Poole and Jake Cornish in the background. At this point, they were the "solid" couple. If you look closely at their interactions during the challenge, you can already see the cracks that Liberty would eventually realize months later. The way Jake encourages the other boys to stray while keeping his own hands "clean" is a fascinating bit of psychological gameplay that many missed the first time around.
Also, pay attention to the fashion. This was the season that moved away from fast-fashion sponsors and started leaning into more "curated" looks, though the neon colors of 2021 were still very much in play.
Actionable steps for Love Island superfans
To truly appreciate the complexity of this season, don't just watch the episodes in isolation.
- Check the Archive: Look up the Twitter (X) threads from June 2021 using the hashtag #LoveIsland. The real-time reaction to the Chloe/Toby/Kaz situation adds a layer of context you can't get anywhere else.
- Listen to the Podcasts: "The Morning After" podcast with Arielle Free and Kem Cetinay breaks down the specific producer edits from this night.
- Analyze the Body Language: Watch the "Horny Devils" challenge again, but mute the sound. Look at who avoids eye contact and who seeks it out. It’s a completely different show when you can't hear the music cues.
This episode remains a cornerstone of Season 7 because it forced every Islander to pick a side. It wasn't just about romance; it was about the social politics of the villa. Whether you were Team Kaz or just enjoying the chaos Chloe brought, episode 10 was the moment the summer truly began.