Meet Curtis Pritchard, the dreamy out islander on 'Love Island: All Stars'

Third time's the charm?!

Curtis Pritchard is returning to reality TV in the hopes of finding the right partner on Love Island: All Stars season 2. But many fans might not know about Curtis's history of discussing his sexual orientation over the years.

This second-ever season of Love Island: All Stars will once again feature Maya Jama as host, Iain Stirling as narrator, and a cast of fan-favorite U.K. islanders vying for love, friendships, and connections. It will also be Curtis's third time competing on the show, and long-time fans are curious to see how much he's grown over the years — particularly after disclosing more details about his sexual orientation.

When did Curtis first compete on 'Love Island' in the U.K.?

Curtis was first introduced to a global audience on Love Island season 5. He was among the day-one lineup of men who entered the villa vying for love. Even though he had appeared briefly as a pro dancer in the Irish version of Dancing With the Stars, it was his time in the villa that turned him into a reality TV star.

After being with Amy Hart for most of his original Love Island run, Curtis got to the grand finale coupled up with Maura Higgins. As a couple, Curtis and Maura got the fewest percentage of votes at the finale and placed fourth overall.

Did Curtis come out as gay after 'Love Island'?

In August 2019 — shortly after appearing in the fifth season of Love Island — Curtis told The Sun that he's always rejected "labels" and "wouldn't rule out a same-sex relationship" in his future.

"I've been with women and I'm with a woman now," Curtis said at the time, though he was still dating Maura after meeting her on Love Island. "You can never put a label on anything. It's a cliché to say, but love is blind. I can never ever say what will happen in the future. I wouldn't rule anything out."

How did Maura react to Curtis discussing his sexuality?

Maura wasn't exactly thrilled to learn that her new partner from Love Island season 5 had just opened up about his sexuality during interviews — before he even disclosed that information to her.

The Mirror reports that Curtis and Maura broke up on the very next day after he opened up about "not ruling out" a relationship with a man in the future. "I spoke to Maura last night because we saw [the interview]," Curtis said during an appearance on the daytime talk show Lorraine. "And, basically, I'm happy with Maura. I'm happy with how things are going with Maura, and we can see a future together."

He added, "We've both said the same thing, sort of, so that's that, really. Maura's head is clear, and my head is clear on where we're going. The future is an unwritten path sometimes, you don't know."

Did Curtis come out as bisexual after 'Love Island'?

Curtis never came out as bisexual, but he has maintained the stance that he's open to dating men and continues to reject the idea of labeling his sexual orientation.

In 2019, following Curtis's statements in an initial post-Love Island interview and follow-up quotes on Lorraine, a few pieces were written about how difficult it was for men to come out as anything other than straight. Namely, Hannah Jane Parkinson wrote a piece for The Guardian titled "Love Island's Curtis is proof that, in 2019, it's still hard for men to come out as bisexual."

Many Love Island fans read that headline and ran with it, despite the fact that the report highlights how Curtis rejects labels such as gay or bisexual.

Did Curtis appear on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'?

Yes! Even long-time fans of Love Island tend to forget that Curtis appeared as a dance instructor on the grand finale of RuPaul's Drag Race UK season 1. He was accompanied by his brother, AJ Pritchard, who had starred as a pro dancer throughout four seasons of Strictly Come Dancing.

On Drag Race UK, Curtis and AJ were tasked to teach choreography to the top 3 finalists: Baga Chipz, Divina de Campo, and the late, great The Vivienne — who won that first season of the series and passed away earlier this month.

What did Maura actually say about Curtis's sexuality?

Years later, in 2020, Maura opened up about finding out that Curtis was open to dating men, feeling blindsided by the withholding of that information, and the circumstances that led to their eventual breakup back then.

"I just feel like: 'be honest.' He never says he's straight, he never says he's gay. I just feel like… whatever. Just be honest and say it," Maura told The Sun.

When asked if she ever asked Curtis about his attraction to men and women, she maintained that "he said he was straight. So, he said that to me, but he didn't say that in public. I find that quite strange. Just be honest. Say what you said to me, you know?"

What happened to Curtis when he returned for 'Love Island Games'?

In 2023, Curtis returned to the villa by competing in the first-ever Love Island Games streaming on Peacock. This time, however, his journey was cut very short. Curtis entered the villa on day 1 and was quickly dumped from the competition on day 6.

What should fans know about Curtis on 'Love Island: All Stars' season 2?

Curtis has entered the Love Island: All Stars season 2 villa as a pretty different person from the first time that fans met him. He is now 28 years old, and has gone on record a few times to discuss his sexuality. As of this writing — as far as the public is aware — Curtis continues to reject labels. However, he hasn't backtracked his statements about potentially dating men, either.

During the pre-season of All Stars season 2, Curtis has reached 1.1 million followers on Instagram, as well as 2.3 million likes and over 380,000 followers on TikTok.

Love Island: All Stars season 2 premieres Wednesday, January 15 on Peacock.