NEED TO KNOW
Two former Love Island USA stars have found a connection outside the villa.
Season 6 star Connor Newsum and season 5 star Carmen Kocourek hard-launched their new relationship with an Instagram post on Wednesday, July 2.
“An update,” Newsum, 28, captioned the post, which featured five photos with Kocourek, 24. She then commented on the post, “♥️😇.”
The various images included of the pair posing with each other, smiling while arm-in-arm. He included two photos of the pair sporting more casual looks, as well as two photos of them enjoying a night out on the town dressed up.
One of the shots showed Newsum leaning in for a kiss on Kocourek’s cheek, and he capped off the post with a sweet selfie.
Connor Newsum/Instagram
Newsum’s Love Island USA costars Olivia “Liv” Walker commented, “Awwwwww,” and Aaron Evans added, “Dad Rizz.”
While Kocourek’s costars, Johnnie Olivia and Leslie Golden, wrote, “God she’s STUNNING” and “Awwww cutiessss❤️,” respectively.
Newsum was featured more recently on the hit Peacock series when he entered the villa as a bombshell on day 2 of season 6. He was briefly coupled up with JaNa Craig and later Leah Kateb. His villa stay was cut when he was dumped on day 15.
Like Newsum, Kocourek entered the villa as a bombshell on the second day of season 5. However, Kocourek made it to the final four and came in fourth place alongside Kenzo Nudo.
The former couple remained an item for a year before Kocourek announced their split in July 2024.
Connor Newsum/Instagram
In the coming days, Newsum is set to appear on Love Island: Beyond the Villa, the new Peacock spinoff series following cast members from his season of Love Island.
He is set to star on the show alongside Walker, Evans, Kateb, Craig, Miguel Harichi, Kenny Rodriguez, Kendall Washington and Evans’ ex, Kaylor Martin. Serena Page is also part of the cast, and her boyfriend Kordell Beckham is expected to make a number of cameos throughout the season.
The spinoff “follows everyone’s favorite Season 6 Islanders around Los Angeles as they navigate new careers, evolving friendships, newfound fame and complex relationships outside of the Love Island villa,” per the official logline.
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Love Island: Beyond the Villa premieres Sunday, July 13 on Peacock, with new episodes streaming every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.
