Love Island's Sophie Piper has shared an update on her relationship with Josh Ritchie as they enjoy being in a "love bubble" together after getting together a few months ago.
Sophie, 25, rose to fame as an islander on the sixth series of the ITV2 show, which aired in 2020. She returned for the spin-off Love Island: All Stars earlier this year and began a romance with co-star Josh, 30, while they were in the villa. The pair reached the final together in February, where they placed third. Several other couples from the show have since parted ways, but Sophie and Josh, just like winners Molly Smith and Tom Clare, are still together.
The Mirror caught up with Sophie recently to hear about what she's been up to since her return to the villa, including details of her recent holiday with MSC Cruises. During the interview, she also spoke about her romance with Josh.
Asked how life has been lately, she said: "It's been really good. Obviously, I went on All Stars just wanting to have fun and potentially meet someone, but you never actually think that you're gonna meet someone - so yeah it's just mental."
Speaking about the relationship, she said recently: "[We're] really good, really good.
Yeah, we're just in a bit of a love bubble at the moment. It's nice being on the outside world and obviously getting to do normal life with each other."
Sophie shared with OK! magazine in April that they are "taking things slow" and more recently told us that every couple is different. She said: "I think everyone goes at their own pace to be honest. I feel like [we're] just doing us."
Providing an update on her relationship with Josh, she told us in our recent interview: "We didn't wanna rush in moving in with each other and yeah I feel like that's the best option. We've obviously [already] lived with each other in the villa." She continued: "We know what it's like, so we do obviously want to, but it was like 'let's just enjoy summer. Enjoy our time just having fun'. And yeah we can look at maybe moving in together later on in the year." Sophie added: "No rush."
The couple were away together just weeks ago, ahead of Josh's 30th birthday last month. Discussing the celebrations, Sophie said: "I took him to Jamaica for his birthday. Then we had like a little family party for him [more recently]. And now he's in Vegas, so he's had a very good birthday month."
It isn't the only trip abroad that model Sophie has enjoyed in recent months, with her having also visited Italy, Spain, France, and Malta on a cruise holiday. She was joined by a friend for the trip onboard the ship MSC World Europa.
Sophie said: "It was so much fun." She added: "It's nice that you get to stop off at different cities, see more stuff, see like the culture of the [places], try new things. Honestly there's so much to do on these cruises - it's actually mental."
The itinerary included cities like Barcelona, Marseille, and Valletta. Sophie was particularly impressed to have visited Naples, where she took an excursion to the ancient city of Pompeii. Sharing her highlights, she told us: "I just love Italy. Anywhere there's good pasta and pizza, I'm all for it." She further commented: "It was really nice when we got to go to Naples and we stopped off and we went to Pompeii. It was nice to see all of the ruins there and learn a bit of history about that." She added: "So that was really good."
The reality TV star described cruise ship MSC World Europa, which boasts a waterpark, numerous dining venues, and a spa, as "so big." Sophie went on to share that she enjoyed the MSC Yacht Club, which is a private club onboard. She also said: "[My room] was actually really big.
I think when you go on cruises you're like scared that you're gonna be in like a really small room, but no - it was actually bigger than [most] standard hotel rooms that you get in like London."
Further promoting the cruise ship during the interview, she said that MSC Cruises "spoilt" her during the trip. She said about the experience
"From start to finish, they provide so much on the ship, as well as off ship with the excursions."
Sophie added that she now hopes to cruise the Caribbean and visit Barbados. She told us: "No cruises booked in yet but yeah it would be nice to do a Caribbean cruise, for sure." She said: "I want to go so badly [to Barbados]."
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