FORMER Ponteland High School pupil Adam Collard and Welsh paramedic Paige Thorne are now "exclusive."

The Love Island pair have been coupled up since Paige's former partner Cumbrian rugby pro Jacques O'Neill walked from the popular dating show.

Newcastle-based gym owner and personal trainer Adam, 26, surprised fans by returning to the ITV2 show for a second time; he first appeared on the programme in 2018 on its fourth series.

After being chosen for a date with bombshell Nathalia Campos, Adam told Paige he was only interested in her.

He said: “I don’t want to put any pressure on this situation, but at the same time, I’ve had the best time with you and I still have the best time every single day.

“When I came away from the date, I was just like, I want to be 100 per cent closed off. I’m not actually bothered about getting to know anyone else.

“You’re the only person that I can say I can see this actually working with.”

He added: “I hate the word exclusive, but I want to use it as well because that’s the way I feel right now and I don’t see that changing.”

New bombshells Nathalia, Jamie Allen, Lacey Edwards and Reece Ford were each given the opportunity to go on a date with an islander of their choice during Thursday night’s episode.

During Adam’s date with Nathalia, he had told the Brazilian, 23-year-old that he was glad to be picked, adding: “Look, me and Paige are going really well, but I’m a realistic person as well and it’s only a week. Just need to see what happens.”

After Nathalia selected Adam for a date, Paige confided in fellow islander Gemma Owen.

During the tearful exchange, Paige told Gemma: “Adam came in and I feel like from the start it has almost been a bit too good to be true. Surely like it’s not just going to be this easy, I just know it’s not.

“It never is for me, it hasn’t been in here for me at all. So why would this be any different?”

She added: “He’s a super flirty guy anyway and he can chat for days and they’re [the bombshells] not going to be taking it easy and just having normal chit chat. They’re going to be pulling everything they can out of the bag.”

Speaking in the beach hut shortly after, Paige said: “Now I’m sat here thinking about it, I literally feel sick to my stomach.”