Our favourite Love Island couple, Chris and Kem, on their new reality show, being ghosted by Stormzy and getting naughty texts from Jordan
Our favourite Love Island couple talk life in the limelight
Like the rest of the planet, we were completely ob-sessed with this year’s Love Island, and that was down to just one couple: Kem “Little Bit Leave It” Cetinay and Chris “Are You Bantering?” Hughes. While 21-year-old Kem was technically paired with Amber Davies, who he won the show with, and Chris, 24, was coupled-up with Olivia Attwood, it was their hardcore bromance – rooted in a shared love of rapping, talking crap, and showing their emotions – that was TV gold. So, we were very excited that they’ve been given a two-part spin-off show, Chris & Kem –Straight Outta Love Island on ITV2, which sees them go on a “musical journey of discovery” and take to the stage for their first live performance – the day after our interview.
In the flesh, they’re exactly as they are on screen: Chris is ridiculously handsome with intensely blue eyes, while Kem is charm personified, and you just want to cuddle him. In short, they’re two of the nicest reality stars we’ve ever met. But that doesn’t mean they’re in for an easy ride. Oh no. We want to talk engagements, diss tracks, and propositions from a certain Pricey…
So, guys – what’s been the craziest thing to happen to you since leaving Love Island? Kem: I think when we went to LA to film the show, and we got swamped by people on Hollywood Boulevard. Chris: That was weird. K: Americans were coming up to us just because other English people and tourists were, but they didn’t know who we were. C: I wasn’t prepared for how big Love Island was. Really? Both: Not at all. C: Coming back to the airport was mad, surreal. Chris, do you really hate fame like you said? C: It’s more just when you go out, you want to chill and keep under wraps a bit. When I went to the Trafford Centre [in Manchester], I could only move five yards in half an hour. I mean, you get swamped. One selfie with one person is an invitation for 1,000 people to have one. It’s just a little bit restrictive in terms of the places you can go, and your freedom and enjoyment. K: People took what he said as being ungrateful, but he’s not. I think what people don’t realise is that Chris is from a very different background. He comes from an area that is a lot more chilled and relaxed – you like your own space, don’t you? Obviously, coming out, everyone knows your business and they’re in your face… Do you regret going on the show? C: I don’t regret anything, because ultimately, I met the person I wanted to meet… That’s Kem, right? C: [Laughs.] Yeah, Kem! No, but it’s the reason you go on to Love Island, isn’t it? You don’t really go on there thinking you’re going to meet a best friend, too.
K: It was the girls who brought us together, because we’re both quite sensitive.
C: We’d also just f**k about and do our own thing.
K: There was a lot of nonsense. It would be, like, 4am in the morning and the producers would want everyone to sleep and they’d be like, “Where are Chris and Kem?” And we’d be in the garden doing roly polys. We were like two little kids who had an overdose of sugar. How’s it going with Amber and Olivia? K: We are both completely in love, aren’t we? C: Yeah. What’s it like living together? C: Unreal. Her dad got a key for her place cut for me. It was well cute.
K: Amber has her house in London with her friends, but she stays at mine a lot, and she loves it, because she’s so close to my mum and dad. When I went to LA, she stayed with my mum for two or three days, taking her to London Fashion Week. They’re like best friends. Practical question: if you’re living with your parents, is it awkward having sex? K: [Smiles.] Do you know what? My parents are very social and they’re out a lot.
C: Kem can do it quietly Dom Lever and Jess Shears have just got engaged. Have the girls given you any hints? K: [Smiles.] Nah, not at all. They’re not like that. So, no plans to pop the question? C: No. Liv wants me to propose to her this year, but I can’t. It’s too soon. K: Really? C: Yeah. I mean, I feel like I could, but I just think there’s no need to rush it.
K: Amber said it to me before, as a joke, but I made sure it stayed as a joke. We’ve spoken about it so many times and she knows I’m very scared of big commitments
like that. To me, I still feel like a kid. We just don’t feel ready for it. People don’t realise, Amber’s 20, that’s so young, and I’m 21. Chris – giving Liv a Celine handbag for your two-month anniversary was generous…
C: It wasn’t for the two-month anniversary. It was because me and Kem were going to LA. I thought I’d give her a little surprise. It took a lot of effort to get that sorted. And then I realised the day it was delivered was our two-month anniversary, so it worked out well. Are you worried you’ve set the bar too high? C: [Smiles.] No, no, no. K: [Laughs] Bloody hell, mate, when it gets to eight months, you’ll be buying houses!
C: F**king hell. Kem, what was it like visiting Chris’ family farm? K: Honestly, it was one of the best experiences of my life. Do you know what? You just think it’ll be like a zoo, but it’s not. He called the cows in, but you have to say it in a certain way. So, I went, “COME ON!” And they just stopped. And he went [puts on a melodic voice], “Come on, come on,” and they all turned and came over. So I started running! [Shows us a very funny video of the cow “stampede”.] They were fully chasing me, and those wellies were slowing me down. C: It was so funny. K: But it was fully amazing. I wish I could’ve spent longer there. Talking of amazing – what was it like meeting Stormzy? C: That was sick. K: That was unreal. He called us out onstage saying, “My boys, Chris and Kem” and
everyone just screamed – 30,000 people. Did you exchange phone numbers?
K: Yeah, we have. [They smile at each other, Chris laughs.] It’s a bit of a tricky subject.
Why? K: [Bursts out laughing.] I texted him and he didn’t reply. How long has it been? K: [Still laughing.] It’s been just over a week. I think he’s playing hard to get.
C: [Cracks up.] How much more than a week? Two weeks?
K: It’s been about two weeks. But I texted him after V Festival, and he was probably getting a lot of messages, so he may have got caught up.
‘I texted Stormzy two weeks ago, but he hasn’t replied’
what did you text him? K: I just said it was amazing to watch him and that was it. that doesn’t need a reply… K: OK, I did send another one after. C: [Laughs.] Show me the phone. K: I just texted him asking if he’s coming to watch our performance. It did have a question mark. And he saved himself in my phone as “Stormzy bestie”. I thought we were best mates! if you ever become single, should Amber and Liv worry about a diss track? C: No, we’re not like that. K: Course not. They’re literally our biggest fans.
C: Amber sent me a video of her singing our song. It’s catchy, it’s a banger. Maybe a Christmas no1? K: That would be the dream! We’ve just been in the studio, learning, because we’re so new to it. We’re kinda just enjoying the
ride. We just want to make sure, if we were to do anything, we do it in the best way. We wasn’t rappers before the show, and it’s a privilege that people want us to do it. the bromance is going strong. How many times a day do you whatsapp each other?
C: Not as many now, because we’re with each other every day.
K: Chris isn’t very good at Whatsapp. I have to ring him.
C: I will openly admit, I just don’t reply to messages, unless they are stupidly important, because I can’t be arsed. I’m the laziest person ever.
K: How out of order is that? I text him to see how he’s doing, and he doesn’t reply. He goes online and I can see that he’s read it! Kem, there’s a theme here – first Stormzy ignores you, and now Chris… K: Do you know what I mean? No one replies to me! Before you know it, Amber’s not going
to reply to me, my mum and dad aren’t going to reply to me. No one is going to reply any more – everyone is just going to be ignoring me. Chris, what went through your mind when Katie Price said on Loose women that you were her type on paper?
K: Is that what she said? I haven’t watched it.
C: It’s what she said to me before the show when she came into the dressing room with her little entourage… K: What did she say? C: Essentially not laying it on me, but as good as. I have messages off her a lot. Bad messages. Did you reply? C: No, I didn’t. I showed them all to Olivia, though, because I was a little bit gobsmacked. It went from Instagram DMS, and then she somehow got hold of my mobile number. [Laughs.] And started messaging me on that. Chris & Kem – Straight Outta Love Island is on Sunday 1 and Monday 2 Oct, ITV2, 9pm