Love Island star Belle Hassan has opened up about her true feelings toward her ex-boyfriend Anton Danyluk as she prepares to return to the villa for Love Island: All Stars, just days after Anton made headlines with a controversial social media post reacting to her casting.
The 27-year-old reality TV personality, who rose to fame during the fifth series of Love Island in 2019, is among the familiar faces joining the third season of the ITV spin-off.
Belle originally entered the villa as a Casa Amor bombshell and quickly formed a connection with Anton, now 31, who later appeared in the first-ever All Stars series in 2024.
During their original run on the show, Belle and Anton grew close and became one of the season’s most talked-about couples.
While they narrowly missed out on reaching the final, fans believed their relationship had strong potential.
However, only months after leaving the villa and returning to the UK, the pair decided to part ways.
Ahead of the new All Stars series, Belle spoke candidly to the Daily Mail and other press outlets about the possibility of coming face-to-face with her former flame once again.
Rather than expressing bitterness, Belle struck a calm and reflective tone.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing Anton again. He’s alright,” she admitted.
Belle revealed that while she has seen Anton a few times since their split, they have never had a serious conversation addressing what went wrong during their relationship.
“It would be nice to have a chat with him where he can’t escape from me,” she joked, adding that being in the villa could provide closure.
Despite this, Belle was clear that she has no romantic intentions toward her ex. “I don’t think I’d go backwards. He’s an ex for a reason,” she said, laughing as she acknowledged feeling slightly embarrassed discussing the topic.
Belle also stressed that there is no bad blood between them, suggesting that if anything, a friendship could potentially emerge.
“I think we’d have a nice friendship,” she added, emphasizing that she holds no resentment toward Anton.
Her comments come shortly after Anton sparked backlash online with a lengthy Instagram post responding to the announcement of Belle’s return to All Stars.
In the post, Anton claimed he wished Belle “nothing but the best,” praising her character before shifting focus to promoting his fitness coaching platform.
The former Love Island star shared a photo of himself with Belle alongside the caption, “My ex is back, so what does that mean for me?”
He then went on to explain that he has no plans to return to reality television, stating that he has “found true happiness” outside of the show and that going back would be “a massive step backwards.”
However, fans were quick to criticize the post, accusing Anton of making Belle’s return about himself and using the announcement as a marketing opportunity.
Several commenters described the move as “bizarre” and “unnecessary,” with some suggesting the post overshadowed Belle’s moment.
Meanwhile, Belle also revealed she hopes to reunite with another familiar face in the villa — Joe Garratt — though she was quick to clarify that the connection is purely platonic.
“He’s like my comfort blanket,” she said, describing him as one of her closest friends.
The make-up artist also spoke warmly about the support she has received from her father, actor Tamer Hassan.
Belle shared that while he is slightly nervous about her returning to single life on television, he ultimately encouraged her to enjoy the experience.
“Be yourself. Whatever happens, happens,” she recalled him saying.
Love Island: All Stars is set to premiere on Monday 12 January at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX, with fans eager to see how past relationships, unresolved conversations, and new connections unfold in the villa.