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Trinity Tatum and Bryce Alakai are the newest Love Island USA champions. The pair – nicknamed “Brinity” – had a friends-to-lovers journey on the Peacock reality series, eventually emerging as the winners of the show’s $100,000 prize in the July 12 finale. 

While fans might have been rooting for the couple, they say they were stunned when host Ariana Madix announced them as the season 8 winners. 

“I didn’t expect us to win, genuinely. I thought we were going to be second place,” Trinity told People. 

“The whole thing has just been so surreal, from the way it started out so shaky to it ending with me literally saying I love her. It’s crazy,” Bryce added. 

Bryce and Trinity shut down rumors of a fake romance 

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Bryce might have said “I love you” to Trinity, but what about theories that they were just faking it for the cameras? 

“You can’t blame people,” Bryce said. “It is a show. It makes sense why people could think something like that. But like I said, we genuinely don’t care.”

“You have opportunities to get with different people, and we just chose not to. I can’t fake anything,” Trinity confirmed. 

While the couple spent a brief six weeks on Love Island USA, they say that was enough to know they were meant to be, in part because the experience is so intense. 

“We’re around each other all day, 24 hours, we’re having intimate conversations that sometimes you don’t see,” Trinity told Today. “Genuinely, I feel like if you could be around somebody that long and you think you won’t fall in love? … That’s kind of insane.”

‘Love Island USA’ Season 8 winners address age gap concerns 

If there’s one major thing that Love Island USA fans think could be a red flag for Bryce and Trinity, it’s their age gap. He’s 30, while she is 22. But they’ve downplayed concerns about their eight-year age difference. 

Bryce has said that Trinity is wise beyond her years, telling Today that she was “the most mature person on the show.” 

“Everything just showed she was just so intelligent and so beyond her age, that the age gap ended up just like completely disappearing in my mind,” he said.

Meanwhile, Trinity said that Bryce brings a fun energy to their relationship despite being older than her. And he passed muster with the most important critic: her mom.  

“In the nicest way, he doesn’t act his age,” she told People. “When I first met him, I thought he was 25. For me, when I think of a younger girl dating an older guy, I think about manipulation, stuff like that. I got to know him. I got to know his personality and how he’s very articulate, and he’s very fair.  My mom has always told me, “Be with somebody who’s genuine.” Even with the age gap, my mom, she supports it. That’s my biggest yes.”

The Love Island USA Season 8 Reunion Special airs August 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Peacock. 

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