If you spent any part of last summer glued to Peacock, you know that Huda Mustafa wasn't just another Islander. She was the Islander. Whether she was catching heat for "Pancakegate" or making us all collectively hold our breath during those explosive standoffs with Jeremiah Brown, she kept the villa in a constant state of high alert. But once the cameras stopped rolling and the dust settled in Fiji, everyone had one question: who is Huda from Love Island dating now that she’s back in the real world?
Honestly, the answer isn't who most fans expected. While she left the villa single after a messy, "Moon River"-soundtracked breakup with Chris Seeley, she didn't stay solo for long. Just days after landing back in Los Angeles, she was spotted at The Grove holding hands with a very familiar face from the Netflix reality universe.
✨ Don't miss: Dudley Moore and Susan Anton: What Really Happened Between the Short and the Tall
The Mystery Man: Huda Mustafa and Louis Russell
The guy in question is Louis Russell. If that name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s basically a veteran of the "Reality TV to Influencer" pipeline. He first popped up as a "semi-pro footballer" on Too Hot to Handle Season 5, where he famously cost the group $48,000 because he couldn't keep his hands to himself. He also did a stint on Perfect Match Season 3.
Their transition from "just friends" to "Instagram official" was a whole production. For weeks, they played it coy. They’d post TikToks where you could only see a hand or the back of a head. Fans were doing FBI-level deep dives into their reflections in sunglasses. Then, in late September 2025, they finally dropped the hammer. Huda posted a carousel of photos featuring a room literally overflowing with white roses and "Be Mine" balloons. The caption? A simple, "Off the market."
Louis replied in the comments with two words: "My Peace." It was sweet, sure, but it also sent the fandom into a tailspin.
Why the Love Island Reunion was So Awkward
One of the weirdest parts of this timeline was the Season 7 reunion. Andy Cohen, never one to miss a beat, straight-up asked Huda about the Louis rumors. She shut it down fast. She claimed she couldn't talk about her outside relationships due to "legal constraints" with Netflix.
📖 Related: Caitlin Erin O Neill Hot: What Most People Get Wrong
It was a bizarre moment. Andy even joked about it, telling Huda to "tell Netflix this was the number one streaming show of the summer." Most people think the "legal" stuff was just a cover because Louis’s season of Perfect Match was still airing at the time, and a hard launch with a Love Island girl would have spoiled his "single" storyline on the other show.
A Relationship Under Fire
Not everyone is buying the romance, though. If you scroll through Reddit or TikTok, the "clout chasing" allegations are everywhere.
- Follower Counts: At the height of her season, Huda had one of the fastest-growing TikTok followings of the entire cast. Skeptics argue Louis—who thrives on reality TV relevance—saw an opportunity.
- The Slur Scandal: Things got dark when a video surfaced of the couple laughing while a fan used a racial slur toward Olandria, another Islander. It tanked their popularity for a while and led to Huda going quiet on social media for several months.
- The "Newborn" Rumor: There’s also been persistent chatter about Louis allegedly having a newborn child with an ex, which he reportedly hasn't addressed publicly. For Huda, who is a dedicated single mom to her daughter, fans found this pairing to be a massive red flag.
Despite the noise, they seem to be sticking it out. By early 2026, Huda has been seen leaning more into her fitness coaching and even hinting at a music career, while Louis continues to promote his streetwear brand, Minacia Society.
Life After the Villa
It’s easy to forget that Huda is only 24. She’s navigating fame, motherhood, and a very public relationship all at once. While her time on Love Island USA was defined by "toxicity" (her words and the fans'), she seems to be trying for a total rebrand in 2026.
She’s moved away from the "villain" edit and is focusing on "Hudamania"—her brand partnerships and her daughter. Whether Louis is actually "her peace" or just another reality TV crossover remains to be seen. But for now, they are very much a package deal.
What’s Next for Huda?
If you're following her journey, keep an eye on her music releases. Rumor has it she’s working with new management to distance herself from the summer of 2025 drama.
💡 You might also like: Judith Barsi: The Heartbreaking Truth Behind the Voice of Ducky
- Check her Instagram stories for the fitness guides she’s been teasing; she’s actually a certified coach, not just a "gym selfie" influencer.
- Watch for the Netflix crossovers. With Louis in the picture, don't be surprised if she ends up on a show like Perfect Match herself if things ever go south.
- Support her daughter's privacy. Huda has been very vocal about wanting to keep her kid out of the reality TV mess, which is probably the most relatable thing about her.
The "who is Huda from Love Island dating" saga is a reminder that the real drama always starts after the finale. Whether you love her or love to hate her, she’s figured out how to stay in the conversation long after the villa lights went out.