It was the kiss scandal that brought one of Love Island’s most successful real-life relationships to a dramatic end.
A video posted to social media in January appeared to show Indiyah Polack – who had been dating her villa co-star Dami Hope since meeting on the show in 2022 – passionately embracing another man in a London restaurant.
He was Swedish-American content creator Marlon Lundgren Garcia, her co-star on a Netflix reality show Inside, which the pair had recently finished filming.
The video was said to have been filmed in early December, and suddenly the couple’s split – announced on New Year’s Day amid cheating rumours following a festive break to the Seychelles – made a little more sense. Indiyah, 27, issued a rueful statement admitting she ‘made a mistake and takes full responsibility for her actions’.
And on Thursday night, she was forced to face up to that mistake once more as she sat with the cast and producers of Inside for a special screening before it airs on the streaming network – and, three months on from her split with Dami, 29, had to watch the ‘awkward’ moment she and Marlon first met.
The series was created by the British YouTube group The Sidemen, and involves ten contestants living together for seven days and competing for a £1,000,000 prize fund.
As the first episode was shown, Indiyah looked deeply uncomfortable as fellow guests whistled and cheered while she laughed and covered her face with her hands.
‘It was very awkward for Indiyah, she was not sure how to react,’ one source said. ‘She apologised for her mistake and knows everything will be dragged back up now the show is airing.’
The event, hosted by Netflix and The Sidemen, saw influencers and cast members gather at the five-star Ham Yard hotel in London.
Dami Hope and Indiya Polack on Love Island
Swedish-American content creator Marlon Lundgren Garcia, Indiya’s co-star on a Netflix reality show Inside
The cast also includes former Geordie Shore and Celebrity Big Brother star Chloe Ferry, retired strongman Eddie Hall, TikTok star Alfie Buttle, and social media personalities Alhan Gençay, Chian Reynolds and Expressions Oozing (who has not publicly confirmed his real name).
Indiyah, however, arrived to the screening last – scanning the room before noticeably relaxing when she realised that Marlon was not present.
Fortunately for Indiyah, it emerged that Marlon, who is based in Miami, had opted not to travel to London for the launch.
‘She definitely relaxed after learning that,’ one source said. ‘Before, she looked quite on edge, like she was bracing herself.’
The show, which premiered in 2024 and moved to Netflix for its second season, involves daily challenges, financial constraints and luxury temptations, with costs deducted from the final pot.
Once the lights dimmed on the screening, all eyes turned to Indiyah as she was forced to relive the moment she met the man that ended her relationship.
The teasing in the room was merciless as other cast members whistled each time the pair shared a scene.
At certain points Indiyah giggled along with the room and appeared to enjoy the attention.
‘She kept laughing,’ one onlooker said, ‘but it definitely felt a bit forced.’
Marlon, a Swedish-born content creator, Twitch streamer and model, boasts more than 4.5million Instagram followers.
Ahead of taking part in the show, Marlon said: ‘I’m known for being a little bit of a flirt – people definitely will expect me to flirt my way to that prize money.
‘[I’m] currently single, not really looking. But whatever happens happens, that’s all I’ll say.’
Meanwhile, Indiyah said in her pre-show interview: ‘I’m excited to take part in a show that is less about love and more about me as a person.’
Since the video emerged of Marlon and Indiyah passionately kissing at London hotspot Duck and Waffle, thought to have been filmed on December 3, they have cut contact and unfollowed each other on social media.
Marlon in New York… his believed to have met Indiyah while filming Netflix’s Inside
Indiyah publicly addressed the incident in a social media statement. ‘I am aware of the video that has been shared online,’ she wrote. ‘I made a mistake and take full responsibility for my actions. I understand the hurt this has caused. I won’t be commenting further.’
Meanwhile, Dami made his feelings clear about Marlon during a livestreamed chat last month with pal and former Love Islander Tyrique Hyde, who asked him: ‘Do you think you’ll punch up Marlon?’
Dami replied: ‘If I was getting paid to do it, I’d smash him up!’
He then added: ‘But I don’t fight young yutes [young people].’
The Daily Mail revealed on January 1 that Indiyah and Dami had called it quits, with his representatives later confirming the relationship ended due to a ‘breach of trust’.
The pair, who met on Love Island in 2022, finished third on the show behind winners Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti, while Gemma Owen and Luca Bish were runners-up.
Indiyah and Dami famously dubbed themselves the ‘heartbreakers’ following some tense scenes on the show.
After the series’ iconic Casa Amor interlude – which sees the male and female Islanders sent to different houses with a fresh new troupe of potential partners they can choose to ‘couple-up’ with – both Dami and Indiyah chose to re-couple with other people.
As they faced each other across the villa’s firepit, Indiyah quipped: ‘May the best heartbreaker win.’
But they reunited and, after securing a place in the show’s coveted final, went on to build successful media careers.
Indiyah became a regular presenter on Capital Xtra and hosted last year’s Mobo Awards, while Dami has been focused on a career in the fashion industry.
The couple were last seen together celebrating Indiyah’s birthday in December, but they did not share any photographs together over Christmas or the New Year.
Elsewhere at the Inside party, there were raised eyebrows over a noticeable frostiness between contestant Eddie, the former world’s strongest man, and Expressions Oozing, with the pair keeping their distance throughout the evening.
When a particularly charged moment between Expressions and Eddie aired, Eddie was seen watching stone-faced while others laughed around him.
One guest said: ‘Everyone else was laughing and reacting, but Eddie just sat there, completely straight-faced. It seemed very tense.’
Viewers will learn what caused the tension when the first episode airs.
Chloe, meanwhile, who rose to fame on MTV show Geordie Shore, was the undisputed life of the party – flitting between groups, laughing loudly, and keeping spirits high as the rest of the cast navigated the more awkward moments of the evening.
Others who will star in the new series, but who were not present on Thursday, include Strictly’s Saffron Barker, YouTuber Ben Azelart, Twitch gaming streamer Lydia Violet, and Ukrainian TikTok star Anna Malygon.
Guests feasted on mini burgers and grilled cheese while drinking wine and cocktails and snapping content to promote the new series.
Tobi Brown, 32, co-founder of the Sidemen, made a surprise appearance, although his fellow Sidemen – KSI, Simon Minter, Harry Lewis, Ethan Payne, Joshua Bradley and Vikkstar – were unable to attend.
Inside is now available to stream on Netflix
