Love Island’s Tommy and Curtis: “Our bromance is a marvellous thing”
The unlikely best pals tell Closer about life beyond the villa and the secret to lasting love
They rose to fame on Love Island together – and while the hit dating show focuses on romance blossoming between couples, one of this summer’s breakout relationships was the unexpected bromance between Tommy Fury and Curtis Pritchard.
And now boxer Tommy and dancer Curtis have landed themselves a new TV show, which will follow the pair as they try their hand at the other’s profession, swapping the boxing ring for the ballroom dancefloor and vice versa.
Unsurprisingly, they say they’ve had a lot of fun filming the show, insisting their friendship has only become stronger since leaving the villa in July.
Tommy, 20, says, “In Love Island, we were just two guys who got on really well and we just clicked like that. We didn’t think anything of [the bromance] – but coming out, it was this marvellous thing. And we’ve both been busy, but filming this show has enabled us to see each other a lot more. We’ve built on the friendship now.”
RESPECT
Curtis, 23 – who will trade punches with Tommy in the ring – agrees, adding, “The show has been really good for us to spend time together. I have such a respect for boxing! We’re best mates, but we’re also competitive, as we’re sportsmen. But I’ll always want the best for Tommy.”
As well as hitting it off with one another, Tommy and Curtis both found love on the show – Tommy with influencer Molly Mae Hague, 20, and Curtis with Irish model Maura Higgins, 29.
And while many of the couples from this summer’s series have already called it quits – with winners Amber Gill and Greg O’Shea announcing their break-up just weeks after the final – Tommy and Curtis are both still happily loved-up.
Tommy – who is now living with
Molly Mae – says, “Everyone says that, with Love Island, the relationships don’t last. But I’m very old-fashioned – once you’ve got your woman, you keep hold of her tightly.
“Mine and Molly’s relationship is no different to anyone else’s. We live together, go out and do our jobs, come home, have our tea and go to bed. We’re not big celebrities, we’re a normal couple.”
And with regards to the show, Tommy and Curtis admit their girlfriends have had mixed reactions to them taking up their new skills – but the boys say that they’ve loved every minute of filming the show.
Tommy says, “Molly’s been so supportive with my dancing. She’s been shining my shoes for me every night!”
He continues, “I’ve got a whole new respect for dancing… I didn’t realise how much work, time and thought you need to put into it. You’ve constantly got to think about it.”
GROUNDED
Curtis says, “Maura is fed up of me nearly punching her! I physically cannot wait to get in that ring. Boxing is a game of chess – it’s incredible. Yes, I’ll get punched and it’ll hurt, but there’s so much to it. I fell in love with it – it’s a truly incredible sport.”
Curtis reveals he and Maura make their relationship work by staying grounded – and says he can’t wait to watch her debut on Dancing On Ice this coming January.
“Things are going incredibly well with me and Maura,” he says. “[Since Love Island] I don’t feel like I’ve become a celebrity or some big famous person. I’m no different to anyone else. Maura feels the same as well, which is why we work together. A lot of people do come out and think that they are a lot bigger than they are... It can go to your head.
“And I’ve seen her [training for Dancing on Ice] a couple of times. I saw her the first time she skated, and there was room for improvement – but she’s doing incredibly, she really is. She’s got a lot better. She’s definitely one to watch!”
By Maisie Bovingdon
‘We’re best mates, but we’re also competitive!’