‘Love Island Games’ Winning Couple Justine Ndiba And Jack Fowler Share Their Advice For Future Contestants: “Don’t Take Things Personally”

The inaugural season of Love Island Games — the Peacock spin-off of the hit international reality TV franchise bringing together Love Island alums from all over the world to not only find love, but compete in various challenges while doing so — wrapped up on Monday night (Nov. 20), and officially crowned its first winners: Justine Ndiba (former Love Island USA Season 2 champ) and Jack Fowler (previous Love Island UK Season 4 contestant).

The power couple tackled a multitude of physical and emotional challenges over the course of the season, but Ndiba felt the most difficult one of all was “being separated” after a “recoupling” shook up the villa.

“Which was funny because I went into it being like, ‘I want to be in multiple couples, I want to test the waters, I want to have fun this time [and] not take it too seriously,'” she recalled thinking. “But then when I found myself wanting to stick with Jack the moment we were separated, I was like, ‘Damn, this really sucks!'”

Outside of their own relationship, the two navigated friendships and alliances, many of which were tested fairly frequently. Fowler explained that he and Ndiba’s “competitive” nature allowed them both to “have that mindset where it’s not personal.”

“It’s just how it is,” he added. “And we’re there not to take part with it, but to take over.”

With respect to their relationship, Ndiba shared that they still “talk everyday,” despite being long-distance.

“And we intend to keep talking,” she continued. “So, I’m happy about that.”

Decider caught up with Ndiba and Fowler, who were together in LA, over Zoom to talk all things Love Island Games. Check out our conversation below.

DECIDER: First of all, congrats to both of you on being named the winners of the first ever Love Island Games! It’s incredible. Looking back, I just wanted to ask, did you both think that you would get this far? And with each other, no less, especially after being coupled up since essentially the beginning of the season.

FOWLER: Well, I didn’t expect to win, for sure. I didn’t expect that. But going in, I just thought I’d just try my best and see how it goes. But then, I felt like once being coupled with Justine, I was like, ‘Wow, she’s a real competitor here.’ And she’s strong. She’s got the same mindset as me, which I thought was such a big thing. And as the show just went on, [in terms of] the challenges, we didn’t actually do great in them, the first couple. But I feel like we just stuck it out together and became good when we needed to.

I just have to commend you both for how strong your relationship was from the start — navigating bombshells coming in, “recouplings,” games, duels, and the big “mega duel” at the finale. Out of all these obstacles you faced, what do you think was the most difficultt part of the experience?

NDIBA: I felt like being separated, for me, was the most difficult — which was funny because I went into it being like, “I want to be in multiple couples, I want to test the waters, I want to have fun this time [and] not take it too seriously.” But then when I found myself wanting to stick with Jack the moment we were separated, I was like, “Damn, this really sucks!” And [I] just hoped that we’d be able to couple up again and finish the journey again.

I saw that you both seemed to have really strong support systems in the villa. Justine, you and Cely [Vasquez] came in strong as the first two contestants to even step foot in the villa this season, and then just emanating such great best friend energy. And for you, Jack, coming in with Toby [Aromolaran] and Curtis [Pritchard] and also getting really close with Callum [Hole], as well. Do you both feel like this helped you make it to the finale having these strong bonds in the villa?

FOWLER: Yeah, I feel like having friends in the villa, you needed. Not even just for the game play, but things sometimes get quite tough in there and you need someone to lean on. And sometimes people need to lean on you. Yeah, I definitely feel like having those “alliances” as they were helped for sure. Because even in some of the challenges — I felt like in the semifinal, like Eyal [Booker], bless him, when I was holding that red tire, that could have gotten me and Justine dumped, he pushed me in the direction that I needed to be in! Little things like that [were] a massive benefit.

NDIBA: Yeah, the friendships were definitely important, but then I feel like it started to reveal themselves in the games. They weren’t just friendships, those were definitely things that would help you socially in the game, so I think it was just like a win-win.

I know as a viewer, I was shocked to see all the ex-islanders return to help choose the two couples who would be competing against you in the finale, and also who would ultimately win the prize money. What was it like reuniting with everyone at that point?

FOWLER: Well, I remember — well, me personally, I sat there by the fire pit, completely gobsmacked [Editor’s Note: “gobsmacked” is a British informal term for “utterly astonished”]. We all were. Everyone was just like, “I can’t believe that they’re all back here.” But I was excited to see them anyway.

NDIBA: Me too!

FOWLER: I was happy.

NDIBA: I think we were all super excited. I mean, I knew seeing Ray [Gantt] coming back would be tough, but like as far as everyone else, I thought I was excited. But then they walked in all serious faces and I was like, oh, they must know something that we shouldn’t be excited about! So, it was exciting but scary all at the same time.

And I know you both were locked in at that point as being one of the final three couples. And Justine, you just brought up seeing Ray. I know tensions were high then and on Carnival Night, being given the responsibility of choosing the couple to stay and two to send home, including Ray and Imani [Ayan]. Being that they were one of the OG couples and that you were so close with him, can you open up about that experience at all?

NDIBA: Yeah, I feel like I’ve been saying this to Jack. I think playing with friends has probably been the hardest part because as a competitor, I’m used to kinda not taking things personally. I feel like I’ve competed on different shows where, you know, things like this happen. So I feel like in a Love Island setting, it’s a lot more difficult, and so that was definitely hard. And while I understand Ray’s emotions, there was nothing more I could do other than to apologize and try to explain to him why we made the decision that we made and it had nothing to do with him at all. So yeah, I mean that was tough.

And I guess going off of this a little bit, one common sentiment I feel like reiterated throughout the show was that the show wasn’t just Love Island, but Love Island Games. So entering the show with this new games component, how did you both personally approach it?

FOWLER: Well, I feel that we’re both quite competitive anyway in our nature. From me playing football — or soccer, you say — or boxing, and same for Justine. And so we have that mindset where it’s not personal, it’s just how it is. And we’re there not to take part with it, but to take over. And you know, again, it’s a whole different kind of angle of Love Island because [in] normal Love Island, you’re just chilling by the pool [and] not really having to worry about too much. It was a different component to the game, which I think was amazing, although be it sometimes a little bit difficult. But, I think it was a great, great show all around.

No definitely, I think so as well! And I guess also bringing in previous contestants from Love Island, and also bringing in Ariana Madix to help run some of the games and challenges, what was it like meeting her and some of these former Love Island contestants?

NDIBA: I feel like it was so humbling because obviously they picked us from different seasons for a reason. But I think even for me, I would say we’re all equals, but you can’t help but fangirl over some people, you know what I mean? You just feel like you’re around legends, because I’m somebody who has watched [Love Island] UK. Obviously I know Ariana as well. Even just seeing [host] Maya [Jama], I was like, this is insane! It was just such a cool experience for me personally, and I feel like a lot of us just being around people we’ve watched before and maybe even looked up to, so it was cool.

Awesome! And have you two stayed in touch since filming? Obviously now through press and everything in this experience, but have you two stayed in touch outside of the villa and do you plan to going forward?

FOWLER: Yeah. I mean, when we got back from Fiji, I was with Justine for a couple days here in LA. [I] always have to go back [to London] for work and family and things like that, but I’m back here now.

NDIBA: Yeah, and we talk everyday and we intend to keep talking. So, I’m happy about that.

Oh, yay! And I guess now, having successfully won the first Love Island Games, what would be your advice to future contestants?

FOWLER: Umm…

NDIBA: Don’t take things personally!

FOWLER: *laughs* Don’t take things personally!

NDIBA: It’s just a game! *laughs*

FOWLER: Yeah, I would say don’t relax around the challenges. The challenges mean everything, right? Of course, having friends in there and being in a couple is obviously a big part of the show, but if you win your challenges or at least do well in them, you got a high chance of going far.

Now in retrospect, do you think that you made most of your decisions out of a pursuit of a connection? Or do you feel that most of your decisions were made toward game play?

FOWLER: I definitely think that we were able to make good game play decisions because of our relationship together in the show. Because we always said from the very beginning to just be open and transparent, and I felt like — I mean, you viewers have seen it, as well. I see it in the comments. We really took communicating together very, very importantly. And sometimes we thought about different things differently, or the same things differently. So we had to compromise, and I think that’s a big part of it, as well. Being able to have that kind of relationship where you can communicate and compromise.

I wanted to ask if there was anything else you wanted to cover or share?

NDIBA: I had a blast!

FOWLER: I had a great time.

NDIBA: I hope that there’s another season of Love Island Games because it was awesome.

Love Island Games is streaming on Peacock.