"People voted for me, not him" — Love Island Australia star Em jokes about winning the show with Mercedes

Love Island Australia season 6 winner Em has expressed that she believes she was the driving force behind her couple's success, joking that viewers voted for her rather than for Mercedes. However, in a December 17, 2024, interview with 9Entertainment, she acknowledged that their victory was ultimately a "team effort." Em also revealed that they would be splitting the prize money equally.

"I think we all know that I carried us both, and the people voted for me, not him," she said with a laugh. They did, but it's a team effort! We're splitting that money right down the damn middle," she said in the interview.

Love Island Australia season 6 finale aired on December 17, 2024 on 9Now. It featured the final three couples, Em and Mercedes, Kaylah and Eric, and Niko and Mia, who were hoping to win the $50,000 grand prize.

In the end, host Sophie Monk revealed that Em and Mercedes received the most superfans' votes and, hence, were crowned the winner of the season.

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Love Island Australia season 6 winners Em and Mercedes broke up after the finale

After winning Love Island Australia season 6, Em and Mercedes have gone their separate ways. In the 9Entertainment interview, the former couple confirmed that while they were delighted to win the show, they have sadly ended their romance since leaving the villa.

Mercedes shared that they "were on a high" after coming back from the villa. He explained how a person experiences a "grace period" where they get back to real life after returning from the reality show. He realized that both of them needed to take some time to reflect and suggested Em that they take a "break."

The Texas native shared that their break ultimately had an unexpected outcome, as it turned into a breakup.

Em chimed that she didn't understand the purpose of her former partner needing a break, as she felt "super disorientated" while getting back to reality.

"I think I got home on Tuesday and on Saturday, we agreed to take space. But I feel like the way Mercedes communicated that was a little lost in translation for me. His intention, he said later on, with taking space was that we would come back together. But I got that message and I was like, 'We're done,'" the Love Island Australia star continued.

Although Em and Mercedes are no longer a couple, they expressed that they still share a "solid friendship."

While they haven't seen each other in person since leaving the show, Mercedes revealed that he plans to visit Australia soon with his castmate, Steph. He further added that Em was "super excited" to see him. However, Em jokingly responded and recalled that she wasn't sure if she said that she was "super" excited to meet him.

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Em might use her share of the $50,000 cash prize to visit Japan and Bali

Besides winning Love Island, Mercedes is also a two-time FBoy Island US winner. He reflected on winning Love Island Australia season 6 and said that he wasn't surprised they were voted as the series' winners.

"We were the strongest couple in there, so I was expecting Australia to pick the right couple and they did," he said.

In the interview with 9Entertainment, Em also joked that her former partner was planning on gifting her the full $50,000 cash prize because he didn't "need anymore bag from a dating show." Regardless, she added that they rightfully split the cash prize in half as their winning the show was a "team effort"

While the former couple doesn't have any definite plans for their share of the cash, Em expressed her interest in using the money for traveling.

"I would love to go to Japan, I want to go snowboarding. Mimi's going to Bali for a bit, so I might go hang out with her, but other than that, I don't know. It might help me move overseas next year. I don't really know what the future looks like for me," Em said.

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Love Island Australia season 6 episodes were released every Monday to Thursday on 9Now.