“My love is only black – it’s how I see love – it’s a familiarity, it’s an understanding.” – Love Island’s [@PriscillaAnyabu] and [@MichaelBoateng_]

With the full support of the UK Black community behind them, the union of Love Island’s Mike and Priscilla became a celebration of young black love.

We first met Priscilla Anyabu and Mike Boateng on Love Island’s debut winter series in 2020. The former policeman and fashion model’s romance was a breath of fresh air to the drama-filled reality show and the chemistry between the pair was clear from the beginning.

Being one of the few black cast members to join the reality show since its conception, Priscilla and Mike had all eyes on them at the very beginning of their whirlwind love story. Speaking to GUAP exclusively, Priscilla explained, “We met in the most unconventional way ever – I wasn’t looking for love but we ended up getting along much more than I expected to, and here we are today.”

“We met in the most unconventional way ever – I wasn’t looking for love but we ended up getting along much more than I expected to, and here we are today.”

Priscilla Anyabu

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Though Mike & Priscilla did not win Love Island Winter 2020, they are one of the most memorable couples to come out of the show. With the full support of the UK Black community behind them, the union of Mike and Priscilla became a celebration of young black love. In the history of Love Island, desirability, love, and romance seem to have only been reserved for cast members who are the typical white, blonde, bombshell archetype.

The very presence of Mike and Priscilla on the show, displaying genuine love and care for one another plays a huge part in how the world sees black love and people. When asked about black love, Priscilla explained, “My love is only black – it’s how I see love, it’s a reference of love, it’s a familiarity, it’s an understanding. It’s two people coming together and just getting it.”

“My love is only black – it’s how I see love, it’s a reference of love, it’s a familiarity, it’s an understanding. It’s two people coming together and just getting it”

Priscilla Anyabu

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With their relationship put on a micro-scope from the beginning, the Love Island villa is not a place that many of us can relate to meeting our partners. After exiting the reality show, the usual fast pace lifestyle of popular Love Island contestants was significantly slowed down due to the Covid:19 lockdown. Mike & Priscilla’s romance had gone from the bubble of the Love Island villa to now another challenge of keeping love and romance alive in the middle of a pandemic.

One year later, these two are stronger than ever. And have mastered a true balance between dealing with their own individual careers, handling the pressures of being public figures, and keeping a strong foundation of friendship and care in their relationship.

We had the opportunity to meet with Mike and Priscilla just after Valentine’s Weekend this year and it was clear to us that the sparks were still flying. Being one of the few couples from Love Island 2020 that are still together, it was a joy to witness their chemisty on set. Make sure you check out the full video editorial here.

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