Aidan Murphy is heading into the Love Island villa with an awkward celebrity comparison already following him. The 23-year-old property broker has been revealed as part of the initial cast for the show’s thirteenth series, and he says people keep telling him he looks like Brad Pitt.
That is the kind of detail viewers latch onto before a new series begins, and it is landing just as Love Island Series 13 is about to start on Monday, June 1 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX. Murphy, who is based in Kent, has become one of the early names drawing attention because he is not just another contestant announcement — he is entering the show with a public image, a relationship history and a clear idea of what he wants from the format.
Murphy says he has been single for just over two years after an amicable split from an ex-partner he started dating as a teenager. That background matters in a villa built around first impressions and fast-moving connections. It also explains why he is treating the show differently from a pure publicity play. He said he was offered Celebs Go Dating last year but did not go through with it, adding that he was too busy at the time and that Love Island suits him better because he wants to find love.
The Brad Pitt talk, though, is the detail he is most publicly carrying into the launch. Murphy admitted people have compared his appearance to the Hollywood actor, but said he is not entirely convinced by the idea himself. “I’m Aidan Murphy, I’m my own celebrity,” he said in effect, brushing off the comparison even as he acknowledged that it has come up before. It is a small contradiction, but an honest one: he is aware the line will travel, yet he is not leaning into it with the confidence of someone trying to sell the label.
There is another layer to him as a contestant. Murphy said he had not watched Love Island since the 2019 series when he applied, and only started catching up once the process became more serious. He also said he does not plan on having sex on the show unless he finds a genuine connection, arguing that intimacy should follow something real rather than drive it. That position may appeal to viewers looking for a more measured contestant, but the villa rarely rewards clean intentions for long.
For now, the story is simple enough. Aidan Murphy enters Love Island with a celebrity comparison he half-accepts, a dating history he says ended well, and a clear reason for choosing this show over another. What happens once he steps into the villa — and whether viewers see him as the next heart-throb or just another man with a memorable quote — will be decided when the new series begins Monday night.
