WITH shiny, dark locks, pin-up good looks and impeccable wardrobe, there’s a clear contender for Molly-Mae Hague’s crown in this year’s Love Island flock.
But far from the dating show’s breakout star being another bubbly blonde lass – it’s a 28-year old lad from Hertfordshire who already has the backing of .
Lorenzo has become Love Island’s breakout star, with agents already battling to sign him when he leaves the villa Credit: Instagram/ @lorenzoxalessi
Molly-Mae Hague transformed Love Island fame into a multi-million-pound empire – and insiders believe Lorenzo could follow in her footsteps2 Credit: Getty
Multi-millionaire Molly-Mae has become the prototype for Islanders taking their five minutes of fame and turning it into a booming media career.
With over nine million followers on , Molly is now worth over £6million through top-level brand deals, was listed in the Sunday Times Young Power List and noted by Forbes, and has apx string of businesses to her name.
Molly and fiance are together worth £22million.
It means every year agents battle to sign the bombshell babes who have the potential to challenge for Molly-Mae’s queen bee status.
But this year a surprising new target has become the diamond of the season – Lorenzo Alessi.
A PR insider said: “Lorenzo has The X Factor and is at the top of everyone’s list. We’ve not seen a clamour like this around any of the lads since Tommy Fury, really.”
The fever was only heightened when last month former editor of Vogue Edward Enniful backed Lorenzo online.
The Sun’s showbiz reporter Lottie Hulme posted an online video from her Keep It Reels podcast where she posed the question to pal Indigo Stafford: “Is Lorenzo the new Molly-Mae?”
And Edward replied with one word: “Yes.”
The simple exchange set the internet alight.
One agent vying for Lorenzo’s signature said: “He’s got the whole package. But with the endorsement of Vogue, well, it takes him to a whole other level.”
Lorenzo, who has Italian and Turkish-Cypriot heritage, is the founder of a fashion brand called Palmera, which stocks £185 jeans, £115 beanie hats and £95 t-shirts.
It means he has a grounding in the industry which is ready to roll.
As well as that, he has an ace card up his sleeve – his dad, who is known to many as Ox.
Ox is the head doorman at celebrity hotspot Sheesh, where many of the Love Island cast and British celebrities hang out.
Our insider added: “Ox knows everyone and he’s already been chatting to agents that he knows through working at Sheesh to sound them out ahead of Lorenzo’s departure from the villa.
“Lorenzo won’t have to just make his choice based on an agent’s pitch, because his dad will already be able to tell him who he can trust.
“It’s a win, win situation.”
The race to sign up Lorenzo has swept up many of the talent agents who look after ITV’s cast when they leave the villa.
It means he’ll face a bidding war for his signature when he eventually leaves the show.
Lorenzo’s early connection with Jasmine ended after she coupled up with Kavan – but fans are still desperate to see them together Credit: ITV
Lorenzo is now coupled up with Julia, but some insiders fear that this ‘love triangle’ could risk it all backfiring Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Another agent has told The Sun that the draw to Lorenzo for them is how he’s behaved on the show.
They said: “For me their conduct is everything, in 2026 you don’t want to sign any male influencer who is a misogynist, walking around thinking they’re God’s gift and acting like it.
“Lorenzo has also, so far, behaved impeccably in there with no red flags around how he has treated the girls.
“He’s also shown very strong morals in terms of his friendships – even worrying about his connection with Julia because his mates have questioned her fiery temperament.”
Not everyone is convinced the villa drama will prove to be an advantage, however – some insiders have expressed concerns that Lorenzo’s central role in the show’s biggest love triangle could backfire if viewers begin to question his motives or if the storyline takes an unexpected turn.
Lorenzo was part of this year’s opening cast and coupled up with model Jasmine Muller, who dated Premier League star for four years.
He struggled to navigate the 27-year-old stunner’s demand for more public displays of affection, though, and lost her to love rival Kavan Murphy, 21.
Viewers have been captivated by the love triangle ever since and debate around the potential they may reunite has become the talking point of the series.
It’s helped the series so far emass more than 90 million streams, with around three million watching each episode.
For now Lorenzo is coupled up with Polish insurance broker Julia Majchrzak, 26, who lives in London.
She’s a head-turner too, but it’s still the lad that’s taking top billing.
He’s leading a trend that seems to ring true across the land of Love Island, as the boys seem to have overtaken the girls in terms of star power.
On Thursday, announced the signing of Cach Mercer, the 2025 winner of Love Island.
Until now his villa lover Toni Laites – from whom he split in February – had eclipsed his career, as part of the line-up for The Celebrity Apprentice and booked by ITV to host the Love Island spin-off show, The Debrief.
But now Cach booking Strictly has tongues wagging.
An insider said: “Cach will be electric on Strictly as he is a phenomenal dancer, as his online followers already know.
“For years we have seen the girls emerge from Love Island to brand deals and offers that the boys could only dream of.
“The new class is changing that though and we’re seeing more and more of the lads doing well.”
As well as Cach, last year’s finalist Harry Cookesley is forging a path as a vlogger and others including , and Harrison Solomon are making a mint streaming.
But Lornezo is tipped to eclipse them all.
A fourth agent added: “It’s not the glory days anymore where Islanders emerge to millions of followers. But Lorenzo already having a fashion business sets him five steps ahead of everyone else and he’ll hit the ground running.”
A Vogue cover is surely looming, too.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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