Fresh from a whirlwind few months, Anna Vakili sat down with WhichBingo to talk all things Love Island from the fiery new season and dating show rumours to life post-villa and her rollercoaster love life.
The reality star opened up about future TV ambitions, fertility struggles, and what’s next for Sisters in the City, her hugely popular podcast with sister Mandi. Speaking to WhichBingo, the home of the best bingo sites and new casino games, Anna gave us the full scoop.
How are you getting on, how are things with you?
Good, obviously I was in my on and off relationship for the last four years and we just broke up again for the third time in February. So that was really tough. We just broke up in September, got back together in November, then broke up again in February. And yeah, it’s been four months and it was just difficult because, like, obviously I’m 35 next month.
It’s just not where I thought I was going to be at this stage of my life. But then I was going through so much as well with my fertility and egg freezing at the same time. So it was a lot. And I had my pod tour. But yeah, I have caught up.
Now that you’re single, could we ever see you go back to Love Island as a bombshell? You know, they sometimes bring back the legends.
I know! Do you know what, the last two times I’ve gone back and forth on it because we broke up. And then I started speaking to the producers and I was gonna go back on, and then we got back together just before.
But I don’t think Love Island All Stars would work. Because I know everyone, don’t I? And I just feel like there’s no one for me. It’d be going on for the wrong reasons. But other dating shows, I’m open to it and you know, there might be something coming up. I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say. There might be other dating shows coming up.
Would you ever go in as the ultimate bombshell in the current season?
No, absolutely not. They’re all way too young for me. I think we’ve got a 30-year-old [Harry], and he’s awful. God, I’d rather be with the 20-something-year-olds, they’re more mature!
Any summer plans or is it more of a party era now?
Next week I’m going to Paris Fashion Week. Miami is booked for my birthday with Beyoncé, and then I’ve got Mykonos booked. So it’s a crazy summer. You know what they’re saying, “the love girl era didn’t work for me,” so I’m fully back in my party era.
What else is in the diary for you this summer?
There are some exciting things coming up. I don’t know what I can say, but there are definitely projects we’re working on and some TV talks. We could be doing another tour next year with the podcast. This year’s been exciting, and next year is going to be even bigger and better for me and Mandi hopefully.
Love Island
Have you been watching the current Love Island series?
I’ve watched all of it. Yeah. I think this series is fiery.
Do you think they’ve upped their game this season to boost ratings?
100%. At first when I put it on, I thought it was going to be repetitive. But by episode two, I realised they really changed it up. I’m loving it. They’ve done things like showing the dates on screen and bringing in three bombshells at a time, it’s the kind of drama we needed!
Are there any Islanders standing out to you that you think could become stars?
It’s too early to tell, but if Tommy and Megan stay together, they could be something. Big personalities, they look great together with potential to be one of those Love Island power couples.
At the moment, I think Shakira and Ben could win. But things change so quickly, don’t they?
Do you see any Islanders who aren’t currently together but might hook up soon?
Maybe Harry. I feel like he’ll definitely get swayed. As for Yasmin, where did they find her? I’m not getting good vibes.
Is there a walking red flag in the villa this season out of the boys or girls?
Harry, definitely. One of the biggest red flags I’ve seen on Love Island in a long time. And Meg, she’s fiery, which I love, but maybe a little too possessive too early on.
Do you think anyone in the villa is playing the long game?
Dejon. I think he wanted to get to know Malisha but was back and forth because he wanted to be safe.
Looking back, how do you feel about your own iconic blow-up moment in the villa?
I don’t regret it at all. I was 100% in the right and he deserved it. They didn’t even show the full craziness, it was a lot more mad than what aired. They even took me into the beach hut and said, “Anna, you went a bit too mad.” They protected me.
Are you and Jordan all right now? Do you still get asked about Ovi?
I’ve not seen him for years. We saw each other at a few events after and we’re fine. We completely squashed it. But yeah, I still get asked to this day, people always say, “Why did you pick Jordan over Ovi?!”
You were in the villa for 52 days. Does it feel longer than it seems on TV?
Definitely. We’re there all day, every day. The quarantine before and after as well, it felt so long. You are just sunbathing and talking all day. It gets really boring! Honestly, when drama happens, it can be a relief. And they used to have more challenges back in our season.
How did it come about that you went into the villa?
They scouted me via Instagram. I was in the pharmacy when I got the message. I spoke to casting straight away and it moved fast from there. I was quite different, Middle Eastern, big personality, so they wanted me on the lineup straight away.
Do you think anything about the show is fake?
Yeah. So, I mean, all the chats and stuff they are real. They don’t ever tell you what to say. I can only speak for myself. They never told me what to say. They couldn’t even if they wanted to because I would never listen.
Sometimes you’d have to read a text twice because they need to get it [the shot]. That’s definitely done, and there’s obviously a voice on the speaker. Like, a lot of the time there’s a producer in there. Sometimes they’re hiding behind the bed or behind the kitchen counter. Those things are quite shocking when you first walk in because you don’t expect that from just watching it.
What do you think is the secret to staying relevant after the show?
The podcast. I just talked about all my issues with my sister. It’s raw, relatable, and it’s grown organically. It’s definitely helped me stay in the industry.
What advice would you give to this year’s Islanders
That’s good advice, 100%. Yeah. When you come out of the villa, be smart with your money and be smart with your clout, do something with it.
Find what you’re good at and do it. You know, I’m bad at TikTok and stuff, but, like, if that’s your thing, just do it.
Future TV Work and What’s to Come
Would you and your sister ever do a show like Big Brother or The Traitors together?
Only if we were together. I need to be there to control her! I’d love to go on Big Brother with Mandi.
Would you ever want to do a Kardashian-style family reality series?
Definitely. If only we had a bigger family! The drama in my life is next level. I’m open to all kinds of reality TV. I think it’s been a while since I’ve done any, and I’d love to get back into it.
Any plans to take your podcast on tour again?
If we do another one, it needs a bigger production. Last time, it was just us getting drunk and freestyling. Next time we would need games, structure and bigger production.
What’s it like doing all this with your sister, especially seeing her on TV?
Awful. She’s even more crazy than I am! She popped off in the reunion. I don’t know if the UK is ready for her, but maybe the US is.
Have you ever been mistaken for another celebrity besides your sister?
No, but she always gets mistaken for me! People think she’s me because of her dark hair, since I had dark hair on Love Island.
How do you feel about your transformation from “Love Island Anna” to now?
I’ve lost 10kg, dissolved all my fillers, gone blonde, and got my teeth done. It was a major change for me. I didn’t realise how bad my teeth looked on TV!
Do you think more natural looks are the trend now?
Absolutely. I think we’re all moving towards more natural. It’s become the trend, and we just follow trends, right?
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