Exclusive Love Island’s Matilda Draper lifts the lid on friendship with ‘bestie’ Mimii Ngulube
Exclusive Love Island’s Matilda Draper lifts the lid on friendship with ‘bestie’ Mimii Ngulube
The latest season of Love Island was packed with drama, heartbreak, and explosive confrontations, making it easy to forget that behind the chaos, some Islanders actually forged deep friendships. One such friendship that continues to flourish off-screen is between Matilda Draper from series 11 and several of her fellow Islanders, including Love Island 2024 winner Mimii Ngulube.
Matilda’s Instagram offers a glimpse into the lasting bonds she formed during her time in the villa. Recently, she was spotted enjoying a girls’ trip to Ibiza with Grace Jackson, Harriett Blackmore, and Uma Jammeh, all fellow contestants. But her connection with Mimii Ngulube stands out as something truly special. During an exclusive chat at the National Television Awards (NTAs) after-party, Matilda opened up about their close friendship and how their shared faith played a big part in their bond.
“Me and Mimii used to sing worship songs together more or less every day,” Matilda revealed. “We were always talking about our faith. Mimii is like one of my best friends for life. She’s the most amazing girl, and we’ve got such a special bond.” The two often discussed Bible verses and found comfort in their conversations about spirituality amidst the high-stress environment of the villa. “She was the person in there I’d speak to about all of it,” Matilda added, reflecting on how faith brought them even closer.
It wasn’t just Matilda who shared this spiritual connection with Mimii. In a previous interview, Mimii opened up about her unaired moments with Josh Oyinsan, where they would pray together in the villa. Surprisingly, even some of the boys who were caught up in feuds—Joey Essex, Sean Stone, and Josh—had a brief moment of unity over faith. “At one point, it was kind of crazy because all the boys—me, Sean, Joey—we wanted to do a prayer together,” Josh shared. “So I led a prayer for all of us. That was a really good moment.” He also spoke about his moments of prayer with Mimii, emphasizing the positive influence their faith had on their time in the villa.
The spiritual side of the Love Island experience, especially between contestants like Mimii, Matilda, and Josh, might not have made it to the final cut of the show, but these behind-the-scenes interactions reveal a completely different layer to the dynamic. While viewers saw fiery arguments, love triangles, and heartbreak, there was also camaraderie and genuine connection formed through shared values and faith.
Even though much of the focus during the season was on the tense relationships and Mimii’s love life—particularly the drama with Ayo Odukoya—there were moments of peace and reflection that viewers missed. As Josh recalled, the feuding trio of himself, Sean, and Joey temporarily put aside their differences to pray together, offering a glimpse of the human side beneath the heated confrontations.
It’s heartwarming to know that, despite the intense nature of the show, real and lasting friendships were formed. Matilda’s close bond with Mimii, based on shared faith, is proof that Love Island is not just about romance or drama but can also be a place where deep, meaningful connections are made.
