SOBBING on Polish television, Love Island winner Julia Majchrzak yesterday confirmed my story that she and Lorenzo Alessi had secretly split before their loved-up display at Tuesday’s National Television Awards.
But their relationship had been on the rocks for a while – and beyond signs fans had already spotted, there were a few exclusives about the couple that had been burning a hole in my pocket.
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To re-cap, I told on Wednesday how the couple had agreed their connection had fizzled out before the NTAs, but decided to appear together to close their chapter.
Everything was cosy on the red carpet but later our exclusive pictures showed the night ended with a bust-up.
Now I can tell you that once they had walked the carpet and posed for pictures, inside the O2 they were largely separate.
That was a theme of their relationship, going way back to when they first left the villa.
Let’s go back to the airport where my exclusive video showed the pair saying goodbye, and Julia thanking Lorenzo’s dad Oz for the invite to a welcome home party that weekend.
Julia never made it to the party, but Lorenzo’s villa pal Tommy Murphy did.
Lorenzo then spent the evening liking photos of models on Instagram.
That week they gave excruciating podcast interviews and on This Morning, where Julia called the lad out on his late-night like sprees and their lack of dates.
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Then came the official Love Island wrap party, where I was told by one spy that the couple did not even share their allocated bedroom.
Granted, there were snaps of them chilling out in the room and as part of an after party crew, but instead of them decamping to their own double bed after the hijinks, whispers suggested Julia stayed with her Casa girl pals for an after-after party sleepover instead of having alone time with Lorenzo.
That story was denied by Julia and Lorenzo’s people, who said they did have the same bedroom. But is that the same thing as Julia choosing not to sleep in said bed?
Another tale that crossed my path was from a source close to Lorenzo, who said he’d been telling friends that the relationship with Julia was “going nowhere” and they added that he “wasn’t acting like someone who had a girl at home”.
Next up was the All Points East festival, where fans rightly spotted the couple didn’t spend any time together outside of work commitments despite both being at the same event.
Lorenzo was there networking with Columbia Records whilst Julia chose to head off with her friends instead.
Our reporter Olivia Monk saw Lorenzo spending time chatting to one girl who worked for Columbia for a significant length of time – but his people were keen to stress it was very much a work conversation as part of his efforts to become a DJ.
It probably didn’t help his relations with Julia, though.
Someone I know who lives near Lorenzo said they’d never seen his villa girl visit his home.
And then we have the NTAs, which many felt confirmed that their union was alive and well – when it was anything but.
They certainly looked the part and both stunned on the carpet – suited and booted – and were laughing, joking and holding hands.
But on Wednesday afternoon I broke the news that they had in fact already broken up – and shared pics of them having a row at the bash.
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I shared in my original story that the source said: “It proved to be tricky to square that circle on the outside and things fizzled out last week.
“They agreed to do the NTAs together as they still get on, there’s no bad blood, and then would consider how to proceed.
“It’s the usual thing where life outside the villa proves to be too tough a test. Viewers already saw how Lorenzo’s approach to dating was nonchalant to say the least and Julia also had high standards.”
Julia yesterday confirmed the break-up by sharing some photos they took before the event – something I’d imagine she is contractually obliged to do.
We can’t blame a girl for sticking to her side of an agreement.
In the caption, she said: “I attended the NTAs alongside Lorenzo, and it felt like the right way to celebrate our journey and the chapter we shared together. I’m incredibly grateful and it was an honour to be there to support.
“Since leaving the villa, we’ve come to the decision to go our separate ways. Some chapters are special even if they’re not meant to last forever.”
While Lorenzo hasn’t directly addressed the split he appeared to brush over it on Wednesday night on a live stream when asked by a fan, and he said: “I thought I’d be more nonchalant I guess.”
It seems to have hit Julia a lot harder, though.
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She broke down in tears during an interview with Polish publication, Super Express, yesterday.
The model said: “It’s been hard for us this past week. Even the entire time we left the villa. But life in the villa is completely different from life outside.
“We’re disconnected from the outside world, from our phones… Two months removed from the world. We were getting to know each other there and getting along great, but it wasn’t real life—we were disconnected from everything.
“And then suddenly, when we entered real life, everything was quite overwhelming. But we felt the pressure, we tried to navigate it all together, but there’s a certain stress about it all.
Julia added: “And we really decided that it was time to just go our separate ways and go our separate ways for now.”
The Polish-born beauty then broke down in tears admitting she was struggling and “no one could understand me like he does.”
Islanders have often attended the NTAs as a last hoorah before announcing their split, such as Joey Essex and Jessy Potts, and Yasmin Pettet and Jamie Rhodes.
It’s a suggestion I hinted at earlier in the week when I spoke about Yasmin Hadlow and Tommy Stagg’s break-up and how it could be the first domino to fall.
Sure enough, I was able to let you know on Tuesday morning that Priya Jaswal and Aidan Murphy had split.
And then by Wednesday I could confirm Lorenzo and Julia’s.
Some fans have accused me of “looking happy” when I share these stories – I’m not. I believe in love and genuinely believe some couples find it on Love Island.
A handful of couples from series 13 of Love Island remain intact: Simba and Angelista, Lola and Sean, Mica and Samraj, Ellie and Finley and Jasmine and Kavan – and I’m rooting for them all.
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