‘When you know, you know’: Love Island stars Tom Clare and Molly Smith on finding the one

Tom Clare and Molly Smith both knew early on that they were the right person for each other.

The couple met on season one of Love Island: All Stars after their stints in previous seasons: Smith on season six in 2020 where she appeared as a Casa Amor bombshell, and Clare in 2023 for season nine of the reality dating show.

“We just aligned in everything, even to the point of our morals,” says 26-year-old Clare. “I feel like if you have the same morals, boundaries and respect for each other, that’s huge.”

Smith, 31, adds: “It’s nice to know you’ve found your person. When people used to say to me, ‘Someone will come along and they’ll be the right person’, I didn’t know if it would happen for me.”

After winning the show, Clare proposed on holiday in Dubai in September 2025. They announced their good news on Instagram, captioning the happy moment: ‘SHE SAID YES!’

Reflecting on their journey – both individually and as a couple – since their stint on All Stars, the pair say everything has changed.

“We say this all the time, but we would never have thought two years ago that we would be engaged and planning a wedding now,” Smith says. “It’s crazy how it’s all just snowballed. But that’s life and it’s changed for the best reasons.”

She also adds that she has gained a lot more confidence in herself and feels “more settled” now than she did before the show. “Obviously that comes with Tom coming along, but I also feel like as you get older and mature more, you do get a bit more comfortable in your own skin and you become a lot more self-assured.”

Clare agrees, adding that over the years his circle has “got smaller and smaller”. He says: “I’ve got people around me right now that I want to stay with me for life.”

As expected, wedding planning can be stressful, but Smith says her partner is the best at calming her down.

“I do get overwhelmed regularly,” she admits – but this is counteracted by Clare, who calls himself “the most chilled-out guy you could ever meet in your life”.

“We balance each other out,” Smith says. “I think if we were both so chilled out, then the wedding planning and other things might not get a nudge. However, Tom is good at reminding me to relax and that things will get sorted – he’s very reassuring.”

As the Manchester-based couple prepare for their big day on August 22, the two have taken over the NearlyWeds podcast, which was formerly hosted by Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo. The podcast will follow the emotional ups and downs of planning a wedding.

Smith says that Laing reached out soon after they got engaged to discuss potentially hosting the podcast.

“At first, I was in shock that they even thought of us for such a huge role,” she says. “I used to listen to that podcast with my friends and in the gym. Eventually me and Tom would actually listen to it on our drives to London. I think it’s just such an iconic podcast and I was in shock that they even thought we were good enough to do it.

“But it’s been absolutely incredible. The production team and everyone has just been incredible. We’re very grateful to even have the opportunity.”

What’s it like working together as a couple?

“Obviously some couples go to work, are away from each other and then see each other when they get back at the end of the day,” Clare says. “But for us, the majority of the time, our work is together. We love being around each other so it’s the best of both worlds.”

In fact, Smith suggests it’s helped with their wedding planning. “It’s just the same as us being sat at home chatting away on our sofa,” she says.

“The good thing is that when we’re on this podcast, we’re talking all about the wedding and what’s going on, so we actually get that time to solely talking about it. Whereas there can sometimes be distractions at home that can delay things a little bit. It’s good to be able to sit down and fully brain dump everything.”

Despite a busy work schedule and a lot of time spent online, the pair still prioritise quality time, including regular date nights.

“Even small things like taking our dog Nelly for a walk or watching a film while turning our phones over helps a lot,” Clare says when asked about how they maintain that important time together.

“I try and go my phone as little as possible,” he adds. “Nowadays, especially for us and with the work we do, it means we are always on social media.

“It [social media] can be the best place but trust me, it can be the worst place as well at times. So we prioritise one another, family and close friends instead. We have good people around us.”

With fitness backgrounds for both – Clare, a former semi-professional footballer, and Smith, the founder of fitness plan Move with Molly – exercise is a huge priority.

“Tom always tells me that I’m not myself if I haven’t done a little workout,” Smith admits. “I definitely prioritise movement and exercise for my mental health.

“I feel like it’s a stress relief and it’s that one hour out of my day where my phone is not even looked at. It’s completely and utterly just me zoning out and working out.

“We also love to work together which is always really nice. We push and motivate one another. It’s a big factor and it sets me up for the rest of the day.”

Clare adds: “The endorphins you get after a good workout is great. I usually do it just to clear my head.”

They’ll try to fit this all in with wedding planning as the big day draws closer, with Smith saying: “I feel like for now because it’s not that far until the wedding, there’s just going to be something each month to look forward to.

“Whether it be dress or suit shopping, there’s just going to be memories made now constantly which I think it’s going to be a year that we look back on and think, ‘wow that was crazy’.

“I’m also really excited for when we wake up the next morning and we’re actually married.”

The NearlyWeds with Molly & Tom podcast is available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.