Love Island’s Jess Hardings went viral for mistakenly referring to cornrows as “conrads.”
While discussing season 10 of the hit U.K. series, Hardings, 23, who was crowned the winner alongside Sammy Root, revealed how her costar Whitney Adebayo would hide her straight-back braids in between wig changes while filming the dating show.
Adebayo, 26, who has her own hair line called CC Hair, wore the protective style underneath her extensions and weaves, and she did not want the look to be seen by viewers, per Hardings.
“Do you know what [Whitney] used to do in the villa? When she changed her wig, she’d have … what are they called? Conrads?” Hardings said in a video shared via TikTok on Monday, June 4, alongside Adebayo and friend Liz Browns.
Before Hardings could finish her thought, Adebayo erupted in laughter. “Jess, that killed me!” she said as Browns clarified, “You mean cornrows?”
@whitbrowns Rule number 1. Never let tjem catch you slipping 💖 #loveisland
“Yeah!” Hardings said back before continuing with her story. “She used to get one boob out and quickly swap the wigs,” Hardings shared, explaining that because Adebayo was exposed, cameras could not film her in the dressing room, preventing them from showing her cornrows on TV.
“I would literally sit there naked … They were not catching [my braids]. They want me to be a meme. I said no!” Adebayo said.
Producers did, however, capture her romance with Lochan Nowacki. The lovebirds connected during Casa Amor, and Adebayo brought him back with her to the main villa.
The two ended the season as runner-ups behind Hardings and Root — who announced their split two months after the July 2023 finale.
Adebayo and Nowacki are still going strong.
