Why Molly-Mae and Tommy’s breakup feels extra personal.

It's a sad, sad day for Love Island fans. 

On the scale of reality TV relationships, you don't get bigger than Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury. Overnight, the couple announced that after five (wonderful, blissful, transformative) years together, they had split. 

When I opened Instagram this morning, I went through multiple stages of grief. 

'No, no, no,' I literally said aloud to no one, as my stomach sank.

*Locks my phone, hopes I'm having a bad dream.*

*Unlocks phone.*

'No, no, no. This can't be. It can't be true!' Again, I'm talking to no one but a confused cat. 

*Checks Molly-Mae's Instagram Story.*

*Checks Molly-Mae's Instagram Story again.*

*Considers consulting with a witch and performing a love spell.* 

*Checks Molly-Mae's Instagram Story again.*

It's real. It's happening. 

Molly Mae and Tommy splitting up is how I imagine it felt when Charles and Diana split up for our parents

— Elizabeth Mather (@bethmather1998) August 14, 2024

"Never in a million years did I think I'd ever have to write this. After five years of being together, I never thought our story would end, especially not this way," Molly-Mae Hague posted in an Instagram Story. 

"I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommy’s relationship has come to an end."

Tommy shared a separate statement on his Instagram.

Sure, celebrity couples break up all the time. Hell, they even get divorced after decades together. But this split hits different. 

Since Love Island, Molly and Tommy have travelled the world together. Image: Instagram/@mollymae.

Did it hurt? When your parasocial mum and dad broke up? 

For fans who have followed Molly and Tommy's love story since day one, it all began in Mallorca, Spain. 

Tommy and Molly both entered Love Island UK as bombshells early in season five. There was a lot of buzz around Tommy's arrival, as the brother of boxing legend Tyson Fury.

As soon as they met for their first hot tub date, sparks flew, they quickly coupled up and began dating, but it wasn't always smooth sailing. 

Molly was introduced on Love Island as a 'social media influencer', which wouldn't raise a single eyebrow on any reality show that aired in 2024, but back in 2019, this was a relative novelty. 

Before season five, contestants were more likely to have normie jobs, like barristers, doctors, dancers or men who simply sold pens.

Molly was immediately villainised and mistrusted by the public for being an apparent 'clout chaser' who wasn't interested in Tommy, but wanted to get closer to the fame his boxing dynasty could secure. 

Don’t care what anyone says, Molly Mae and Tommy Fury are one of the best couples to come from love island, 4 years and proved all those people who thought she was fake wrong 🥺 pic.twitter.com/faOE3qlSbm

— tasha louise ♡ (@eds_afterglow) July 23, 2023

This sexist categorisation of Molly overlooked one detail: she already had a following in her own right, as a successful YouTuber and Instagram influencer. 

Tommy's only claim to fame was sharing DNA with a much more successful boxer. 

But the couple's critics eventually moved on once viewers came to the realisation: these two were perfect for each other.

Between Tommy's confusion over basic worldly concepts and Molly's infectious personality, they had a hilarious dynamic together. But aside from the jokes, there was genuine affection and they enjoyed each other's company. 

No self-respecting Love Island fan could forget the moment when they were reunited after Casa Amor, both staying loyal to each other, as Tommy stood waiting for Molly holding her stuffed elephant, Ellie Belly, as Molly burst into tears. 

It literally gives me warm tingles just thinking about it. Watch the moment here and try not to sob, I dare you. 

This was young love. They had fallen for one another. And millions of viewers watched it happen. 

Molly and Tommy may not have won their season, but in the public's eye, they epitomised the possibilities of Love Island. In the following seasons, they set the blueprint for future couples. 

"They're so perfect together! They're giving Molly-Mae and Tommy!" fans would say. 

Between them, the couple's careers skyrocketed to unprecedented heights.

Tommy became an in-demand boxer, earning an estimated $2 million for his fight with controversial YouTuber Jake Paul. Meanwhile, Molly has become arguably the most successful Love Island contestant in history.

She was one of the first islanders to score a fashion line in a collaboration with Pretty Little Thing, before becoming the brand's creative director from 2021 to 2023. 

Molly Mae and Tommy just announced they’ve broken up give it half an hour Pretty little thing will do a discount code brokenhearted for 30% off x

— Becca (@_beccacallaghan) August 14, 2024

Molly has founded her own beauty brand Filter and become one of UK's biggest influencers. 

Aside from their careers, they've been blessed with personal success: the couple bought their first home together after a lengthy house hunt, became engaged, and welcomed a baby daughter in January 2023. 

On Molly and Tommy's respective Instagrams, the couple represents an unattainable level of perfection. 

Firstly, they're both just ridiculously good-looking, which makes every snap they post to Instagram instantly appear like a high fashion campaign. On top of this, they seemingly go on non-stop holidays to Dubai or other glamorous destinations when they're not at Disneyland. 

The power couple owns two adorable cats with enlarged cartoon-sized eyes as if designed by Disney and they actually named their daughter Bambi. They lavishly decorate their home for Christmas and Halloween. 

They watch Harry Potter films seemingly on an endless loop. 

No one does a theme quite like Tommy and Molly. Image: Instagram/@mollymae. 

Molly and Tommy are more than a couple; they're a brand.

And their fans have a lot of investment in this brand because of the access we got to them as a couple. 

When we aren't following them on Instagram, Molly posts regular vlogs on her successful YouTube channel. A channel where I must admit I've probably watched every single video. 'Hope you're all doing well!' is still ringing in my ears. 

Molly has her critics for some of her past tone-deaf comments, but this doesn't discount her legion of loyal fans. Her vlogs are often casual day-in-the-life formats, as subscribers join Molly on her days spent with Tommy, her family, her Love Island pal Maura Higgins, or working on her multiple brand deals. 

Molly-Mae's bestie is fan favourite Maura Higgins. Image: Instagram/@mollymae. 

Fans live vicariously through Molly in what feels like a genuine insight into her picture-perfect life as a working mother. 

But with the recent news, that perfect veneer has smashed into pieces. Online commenters will likely speculate in the following days and weeks what caused the split, with recent rumours that Tommy cheated resurfacing. 

Molly writing in her breakup statement that she "never thought our story would end, especially not this way" will do little to quash the conspiracies. 

But whatever caused this split after five years, the pain still feels uniquely personal. 

These days, reality show couples have a short shelf life. It's not surprising to hear a Love Island-winning couple have broken up within a year of claiming the top prize. In the case of the UK series, it happens most of the time. 

Molly-Mae and Tommy felt different. For reality TV fans, they were endgame. They represented so much more than just an aesthetically pleasing Instagram couple; they represented the promise that these countless superficial dating shows can create something real. 

That even with all the brand deals, photo filters, and edits, something authentic lies underneath.

The end of Molly and Tommy isn't just the end of a relationship — it's the end of an era. Brb, sobbing into my Love Island signature water bottle and asking my therapist to 'come for a chat'.  

Feature image: Instagram/@mollymae.