While there likely a handful of viewers who were sad to see Ian de Beer leave the “Love Island SA” villa, there were many more who were happy to see their favourite couples survive Wednesday’s dumping.
The “Love Island SA” journey ended for Ian and his partner Danè Prinsloo who were the last single people inside the villa.
The two had attempted to find a connection but ultimately that didn’t work and just ended up as friends.
While the 24-year-old law student might have his body sculpted to perfection, which many viewers benefited from, his time inside was less than perfect.
From the dumping of Rochelle van Vuuren and Erin Japhta to the fruitless attempts to find love with Thiala June and Danè, this is what Ian had to say about his time on “Love Island SA”.
How do you feel being dumped from the island, and the way you left?
It is a bit disappointing being dumped this close to the end, but I expected it since I have been single for most of this journey. However I am happy and proud to have made it this far on the show.
Is there anything you do differently?
I have no regrets, it was very important for me to stay true and honest to myself and I feel that I have done that every step of this journey.
Have you watched other iterations of the show before?
Yes I have watched the Australian version. It is eye opening to have been on the inside and experience how the show works first hand.
You seemed to have these sparks with some ladies who entered, and then it fizzled out. Unfortunately nothing went anywhere with Rochelle, Thiala and Danè. Why do you think it was?
With regards to Rochelle I do not feel she was ever really open to find a relationship in the villa so I didn't pursue her much.
With regards to Thiala I feel we were just too different and I don't feel we ever connected deeper than surface level so that's why I ended it.
With regards to Dane' I think it was a very pressured situation to have come into for her, but I'm still keen to get to know her in a more natural environment.
How did it feel seeing all these other people around you find love and then you were just drifting along?
Sometimes it was very frustrating, but I'm not the type of person to focus on the negative side of things so I just kept doing my thing and hoping for the best. In the end everything works out exactly like it should.
Rochelle and Erin said that they felt like they were blindsided by your choice for Summer in an earlier re-coupling. What exactly happened?
At that point I felt that if I had picked Rochelle or Erin it would also only have been on a friendship basis, and as soon as a new guy walks in I would be kicked to the curb.
So I picked Summer because me and her were better friends than I was with the other girls at that point and I knew she would also have my back if the roles were reversed.
There were some viewers who felt like you ended up coming off as over-confident. What do you think of that characterization?
I am a pretty confident guy as I am comfortable and happy with who I am as a person and don't generally care about people's opinions of me.
However, I get that it could sometimes come of as arrogant (over-confident), which I don't believe I am, and the people close to me would say the same.
How would you describe life inside the villa, and were the connections that we saw legitimate? Who are you rooting for?
I enjoyed most of my experience in the villa very much, most of the time we are just having fun and joking around.
I think there are some legitimate connections within the villa but you never know with that much money at stake anything is possible.
I'm rooting for my besties in the villa Asad and Millie.
Do you think that people are too strategic in how they are finding love?
Sometimes yes, I think people tend to overthink their decisions with regards to pursuing someone in the villa as they start thinking how it might affect their position in the villa.
But if you just stay true and honest to yourself then those decisions are actually quite simple.
What comes next for you? And what are you more looking forward to?
I’m definitely going to get back to pursuing my goals of finishing my studies and getting my pro card, but I’m also looking forward to.
Follow Ian on Instagram: @iandebeer_
“Love Island SA” airs Monday to Friday and unseen bits on Sundays at 9.30pm on M-Net (DStv channel 101).