If you were scrolling through Twitter—or X, whatever we're calling it now—back in the summer of 2017, you couldn't escape it. The villa was buzzing. People were losing their minds over "paper clip" metaphors and "blokes" being "melted." But when the dust settled on that hot August night, one couple stood alone. Amber Davies and Kem Cetinay were the ones who won Love Island Season 3, and honestly, the UK hasn't been the same since.
It wasn't just a win. It was a cultural shift.
Before we get into the weeds of how they did it, let's be real: Season 3 was the "golden era." It was the year the show stopped being a niche reality experiment and turned into a massive, fire-breathing dragon of a TV franchise. Everyone remembers where they were when the 50k prize was announced. Kem and Amber didn't just walk away with the money; they walked away as the undisputed king and queen of the ITV2 era.
Why the Season 3 Win Felt Different
Success in the villa usually follows a predictable path. You meet, you graft, you maybe have a small row about a toastie, and then you sail to the final. Amber and Kem? They took the scenic route. Their journey was messy. It was chaotic. At one point, they weren't even together.
Amber was the 20-year-old dancer from North Wales, and Kem was the 21-year-old barber from Essex. On paper, it’s a reality TV trope. In practice, it was a rollercoaster that kept millions of people glued to their screens every single night at 9 PM. They broke up. They recoupled with other people (shoutout to Georgia Harrison and Chyna Ellis for the brief cameos in that drama). They cried. A lot.
But then came the turning point.
The moment they got back together, something clicked for the audience. We saw them go from "playing the game" to actually looking like they’d found their person. By the time the final rolled around on July 24, 2017, they had secured 44.3% of the public vote. To put that in perspective, the runners-up—Camilla Thurlow and Jamie Jewitt—trailed behind with 25.9%. It wasn't even close.
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The Competition: Who Almost Took the Crown?
It’s easy to forget that the Season 3 final was stacked. Seriously. You had Camilla and Jamie, who were essentially the "nation's sweethearts." Camilla was the refined, intellectual bomb disposal expert, and Jamie was the Calvin Klein model who actually read books. They were the "mature" choice. Most experts at the time thought their "slow burn" romance would pip the Essex-Welsh duo to the post.
Then you had Chris Hughes and Olivia Attwood.
Talk about a volatile pairing. They came in third, largely because their relationship was like a fireworks factory located next to an active volcano. But let's be honest: Chris and Kem’s bromance was arguably the biggest love story of the season. Their "Little Bit Leave It" rap track actually hit the charts after the show. That friendship helped Kem win. It made him likable, relatable, and hilarious. Without Chris, does Kem win? Maybe not.
Marcel Somerville and Gabby Allen took fourth place. Marcel, formerly of Blazin' Squad (did he mention that?), was the villa's therapist. They were solid, but in the world of Love Island, "solid" often gets beaten by "drama."
Life After the Villa: The 50k and Beyond
So, Amber and Kem took the money. In the classic Love Island twist, they had to choose whether to split or steal the £50,000. Kem chose the envelope with the money and, without missing a beat, chose to share it with Amber.
It felt like the start of a forever thing.
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Except, reality TV isn't real life.
Just five months after the cameras stopped rolling, the pair announced their split. In a joint statement released in December 2017, they cited "hectic work schedules" as the reason. It was a gut punch for the fans who had voted for them. But looking back, they were incredibly young. They were kids thrust into a spotlight that would blind anyone.
Amber’s Evolution
Amber Davies didn't just fade into the background of sponsored Instagram posts for teeth whitening kits. She went back to her roots. She conquered the West End, starring in 9 to 5: The Musical after being handpicked by Dolly Parton herself. She did Bring It On. She did Back to the Future. She proved that Love Island could be a legitimate springboard for a professional career in the arts, not just a shortcut to a clothing brand deal.
Kem’s Media Takeover
Kem, on the other hand, became an ITV staple. He did Dancing on Ice. He became the "backstage" guy for the very show he won. He’s a presenter, a brand ambassador for Primark, and he even opened his own restaurant. He managed to turn 15 minutes of fame into a decade-long career.
What We Get Wrong About the Season 3 Win
There’s this misconception that Season 3 was "scripted." People look back at the intensity of Kem and Amber's fights and think it had to be for the cameras. But talk to anyone who worked on the production back then, and they’ll tell you: it was raw.
The producers hadn't yet polished the format into the sanitized version we see today. The islanders were allowed to smoke on camera. They weren't as aware of their "brand." That’s why the 2017 win feels so much more significant than the wins in later seasons. It was the last time the show felt like a genuine social experiment instead of a 24-hour audition for a fast-fashion partnership.
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The Camilla Factor
We have to talk about Camilla Thurlow. Even though she didn't win, her presence in the final changed the trajectory of the show. She represented a different kind of contestant—vulnerable, socially conscious, and initially very uncomfortable with the "game."
The fact that she and Jamie Jewitt are still together today (now married with three children!) often leads people to misremember them as the winners. They are the "moral winners" in many fans' eyes. But in 2017, the public wanted the high-octane passion of Kem and Amber. We wanted the chaos.
Lessons from the Season 3 Finale
If you're looking for what made this specific win a landmark in television history, it comes down to three things:
- Relatability over Perfection: Kem and Amber were flawed. They argued about stupid things. They made mistakes. The public saw themselves in the messiness.
- The Power of the Side-Plot: The bromance between Kem and Chris Hughes was a massive factor. It gave Kem a dimension beyond just "the guy Amber is dating."
- The "Right Place, Right Time" Effect: 2017 was the peak of the Love Island fever dream. The ratings were skyrocketing, and the winner of that season was always going to become a household name.
Where are they now?
- Kem Cetinay: Continues to host and work in media. He remains a prominent face on ITV and has built a significant business portfolio.
- Amber Davies: A legit musical theater star. She’s currently working on major stage productions and has transitioned away from the "reality star" label.
- Chris Hughes: A regular on sports broadcasting, particularly horse racing.
- Olivia Attwood: One of the most successful exports from the show, with her own documentaries and a massive role on TOWIE for a stint.
- Camilla & Jamie: The gold standard for Love Island couples. They live a relatively quiet life compared to the others, focusing on family and activism.
Looking Back at the Legacy
When we ask who won Love Island Season 3, we aren't just asking for names. We're asking about the moment reality TV peaked. Amber and Kem's win was the climax of a season that gave us "Muggy Mike" (rest in peace, Mike Thalassitis), the return of the "Blazin' Squad" jokes, and the birth of the modern influencer.
They won because they were the heart of the most entertaining summer in recent memory. Even though they didn't last as a couple, their win is etched into the history of the show as the moment Love Island became a phenomenon.
To stay updated on what the Season 3 cast is doing today, you should follow their individual career moves on LinkedIn or professional talent agency sites rather than just Instagram. Amber’s transition to theater and Kem’s move into business and broadcasting provide a blueprint for how to handle post-reality fame. Check out the latest West End casting calls or ITV’s presenter roster to see their current projects in action. If you're re-watching the season, pay attention to the editing in the final week—it’s a masterclass in how to build a winning narrative out of pure, unadulterated Essex-Welsh chaos.