She made it all the way to the final when she appeared on Love Island in 2018, and it's safe to say that reality star Kaz Crossley has had QUITE the journey post-villa. Kaz has chosen to step away from brand deals and red carpets and is devoting her time to charity work in Thailand (she's come a long way after her infamous crab post).
To bring you up to speed with gathered all the goss about Kaz and what she's up to now.
Who is Kaz Crossley?
Kaz shot to fame when she entered the Love Island villa as a bombshell on day 26 in 2018. After coupling up with Josh Denzel, Kaz made it all the way to the final, with the public voting Kaz and Josh in third place behind Laura Anderson and Paul Knops, and Dani Dyer and Jack Fincham.
How old is Kaz Crossley?
Kaz is 25 years old.
Kaz Crossley on abusive relationships
Kaz recently opened up on Ashley Caine's podcast Fierce Minds Kind Hearts talking about how previous abusive relationships made her want to get away to Thailand, where she does her volunteer work.
"I was just mentally very down, I was in a really bad situation. Basically I was in a relationship with someone who wasn't in a relationship with me, who didn't have respect for me. I was partying, I was drinking all the time...," she explained.
"I actually tried to fly home for Christmas to see my family, but the person I was was ripped my passport and I couldn't fly. I was in a really bad situation, kept going back to this guy and I've always had past problems with abusive relationships and stuff and I just hadn't healed from it.
"I knew what I had to do. I had to get out and eventually when the New Year came I got my passport back and I just thought 'I need to go to Thailand' that's my happy place."
Which Love Island season was Kaz Crossley on?
Kaz appeared on Love Island season four in 2018, alongside the likes of Megan Barton-Hanson, Eyal Booker, Wes Nelson, Georgia Steel, Adam Collard and Zara McDermott.
She finished in third place alongside Josh.
What happened with Kaz Crossley and the crab?
Just months after she split from Love Island boyfriend Josh Denzel in January 2019, Kaz posted a controversial snap from her holiday in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand, which her followers deemed 'disgusting.'
Alongside the obligatory bikini beach shot we've come to expect from former Islanders, Kaz shared a photo of an 'innocent' crab she inadvertently had killed for an Instagram post before claiming it was simply the '#circleoflife.'
Upsetting animal lovers, Kaz took a crab from the sand in which was was camouflaged and placed it on a dark rock for the 'gram.
With the crab obviously no longer camouflaged into its surroundings, a monkey then spotted the creature and proceeded to eat it; something Kaz caught on camera and uploaded to her grid.
The star said, "This little bay might be my favourite place on earth, this pic was taken in my most recent trip to phi phi however I discovered it exactly a year ago with some friends and fell in love. So I had to come back!
"So when I was there last year we found a beautiful crab camouflaged in the sand and placed it on a dark rock and got a beautiful picture! (SWIPE) however we really did not think it through as someone else came to join the party😢 keep swiping 🤦🏽♀️ We are sorry little one 🦀 🙏🏼 #circleoflife".
Fans were quick to criticise Kaz, with one follower commenting, "This is NOT the circle of life. You have actually killed an innocent animal that otherwise would have survived if you hadn’t moved it for a photograph. Disgusting attitude..."
Another expressed their fury, saying, "This is the world we live in..stupid tourists feeding wild animals and removing crabs from their natural habitat???"
Why did Kaz Crossley and Josh Denzel split?
Rumours that the pair had split first started to circulate in December, when Josh was a no-show at the Love Island Christmas reunion. However, Kaz swiftly put these to bed when she revealed it was simply due to work commitments.
Things then went south in the new year, with Josh and Kaz confirming their split in February 2019.
Sharing a previously taken photo of the pair looking loved-up on holiday, Kaz wrote, "Sometimes things don’t go the way you planned, but you have to be grateful for the journey. Thank you for everything especially showing me how to love myself again ❤️."
Kaz Crossley and Theo Campbell
Just a few months after her split from Josh, Kaz started dating Love Island 2017 hunk Theo Campbell.
Rumours that the pair were dating first landed in March 2019, when Kaz visited a Muay Thai fitness centre with Theo. A source then told OK! Magazine, "Theo and Kaz are dating, but they’re in the early days of a relationship. They’re seeing how things go and taking it day by day. They’re having fun and getting to know each other.
"It’s not exclusive but they like each other’s company. However, with so many commitments like sponsorship deals and TV shows, they don’t have a lot of time together.
"So for the time being, they’re having a bit of fun."
Following the reports, the pair were completely smitten with each other, posting a number of snaps on Instagram together and looking VERY loved-up. In August 2019, Kaz proved her love for her man by flying out to Ibiza after Theo lost the sight in his right eye following an accident involving a champagne cork.
Admitting how 'proud' she was of his bravery following the accident, Kaz wrote, "It's been a hard 24 hours no one here speaks English and he was taken for hours at one point and I had no clue he was in surgery again. I've stayed in his room over night and just want to take him home. He's so brave and positive hopefully it will get better thanks for your kind messages.
"I hope this will make people aware of the dangers at these parties and to be more careful."
Kaz also stuck up for her boyfriend when an online troll accused Theo of 'faking' his eye injury. Whilst taking part in a Q&A with fans online, one person asked, "His post the right eye was patched up, your post the left eye is patched up???", insinuating Theo could be making his injury up.
Furiously hitting back, Kaz replied, "I dunno it must of mirrored on the front camera u lot saying this have way too much time. Haters will say it's fake."
How can I follow Kaz Crossley on Instagram?
Kaz's Instagram page gives us serious goals. Not only does she keep her feed bang up to date, Kaz often posts on her Instagram Story, keeping fans in the loop with what she's got going on. You can follow Kaz on Instagram @kazcrossley
Follow the Love Island 2019 cast on social media right here.
Check out: what all of the Love Island 2018 stars are up to now:
Love Island series 4 - where are they now? - Stacked
1 of 34Jack Fincham
Pen salesman Jack Fincham won the show in 2018 alongside Dani Dyer, the pair coupled up together in the first show and the rest was history.
2 of 34Jack Fincham
After leaving the villa, Jack landed himself a TV show alongside Dani Dyer, appeared on the Celebrity version of Gogglebox and even hosted the NTA red carpet with Dani. After the pair split up in April 2019, Jack has gone on to be involved in a number of sponsorship deals, as well as TV shows like The All New Full Monty and Celebs Go Dating.Jack became a dad in January 2020 when his long-term pal Casey Ranger gave birth to their daughter Blossom after a brief romance. He has dated TOWIE stars Chloe Brockett and Frankie Sims and even appeared on the show in 2021.
3 of 34Dani Dyer
Despite already having some fame (due to her famous dad, Danny Dyer) before entering the villa, Love Island certainly catapulted Dani Dyer into the limelight when she won the show with Jack.
4 of 34Dani Dyer
After leaving the villa, Dani was in demand, landing her own clothing brand with In The Style, appearing on more or less EVERY TV show, climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for Red Nose Day, and releasing her own book. Following her split from Jack, Dani was accused of 'cheating' with her ex-boyfriend Sammy Kimmence, after snaps of them kissing emerged. However, the Love Island winner totally denied the rumours.Dani and Sammy went on to welcome their first child - a baby boy called Santiago - in January 2021, before splitting in July 2021. Dani is now in a relationship with West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen.
5 of 34Laura Anderson
Despite her turbulent time in the Love Island villa, Scottish beauty Laura Anderson finished in second place with hunky model Paul Knops.
6 of 34Laura Anderson
Despite her relationship with Paul not lasting, Laura has kept herself busy and launched her own fitness and lifestyle website called So-LA after leaving the villa.Laura lived in Dubai before finding fame and relocated there at the end of 2020. It recently came to light that she's reunited with Another Level singer Dane Bowers and the loved-up pair are planning marriage and kids.
7 of 34Paul Knops
Paul Knops was VERY popular with the ladies when he was a late arrival into the villa (probably due to fact he'd appeared in Britney Spears video), but it was Laura who he coupled up with, finishing in second place.
8 of 34Paul Knopps
After splitting with Laura just weeks after leaving the villa, Paul has continued to work as a model, showing off his good looks on his Instagram page. We wonder if he features in any more of Britney Spears' music videos?
9 of 34Kaz Crossley
After coupling up with Josh Denzel on the show, Kaz made it all the way to the final, with many fans wanting the couple to win ahead of Jack and Dani.
10 of 34Kaz Crossley
Following her split from Josh, Kaz is well and truly living her best life, touring the world on modelling and clothing shoots. Just check out her Instagram to make yourself VERY jealous of her lifestyle. Kaz revealed she was dating 2017 Islander Theo Campbell in April 2019, although he announced they'd split in February 2020. They later came face to face again on 2022's Celebrity Ex On The Beach.
11 of 34Megan Barton-Hanson
Despite being unpopular when she first entered the Love Island villa, Megan Barton-Hanson was able to turn public perception around, leaving as one of the favourites alongside Wes Nelson.
12 of 34Megan Barton-Hanson
Megan went on to bcomee a brand ambassador for PrettyLittleThing and took part on E4's Celebs Go Dating in 2019. She's also launched her own podcast called You Come First.Following her split from Wes in January 2019, Megan came out as bisexual and has dated Demi Sims and Chelcee Grimes. She most recently dated TOWIE star James Lock after they met on Celebrity Ex On The Beach. They split after just a few months together.
13 of 34Wes Nelson
It took him a while to settle during his time in the villa, but Wes Nelson eventually seemed smitten when he coupled up with Megan, with the pair making it to the final.
14 of 34Wes Nelson
Wes was in demand when he left the Love Island villa, landing a spot on Dancing On Ice in January 2019. Despite impressing with his moves (and being linked to his partner Vanessa Bauer following his split from Megan), the star finished in second place. Wes dated 2019 Islander Arabella Chi after splitting from Megan, although they called it quits in in April 2020.After appearing on The X Factor: Celebrityin a Love Island supergroup made up of Samira Mighty, Eyal Booker and Zara McDermott, Wes went solo and has become a fully-fledged popstar with major hits like See Nobody and Nice To Meet Ya.
15 of 34Dr Alex George
Aww, Dr Alex! He stole the nation's hearts when he tried and continued to be pied in the villa, ending in him leaving the show as 'friends' with Alexandra Cane.
16 of 34Dr Alex George
Dr Alex returned to his job at a London hospital, saving lives every day, and worked on the frontline of the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic.After the tragic death of his younger brother Llŷr in July 2020, Alex began to campaign for mental health awareness and was appointed as a Mental Health Ambassador by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In May 2021, Dr Alex released his first self-help book called Live Well Every Day.
17 of 34Jack Fowler
Despite leaving the villa with surfer girl Laura Crane, things fizzled out for Jack Fowler very quickly when they returned to the real world.
18 of 34Jack Fowler
Jack appeared on Celebs Go Dating in 2019, although he was unable to find love. He regularly models for the likes of boohooMAN and ASOS and revealed in 2021 that he was launching a career as a DJ.The former semi-pro footballer broke hearts across the nation in 2021 when he went public with girlfriend Joanna Baban Morales, although they've since quietly split with Jack confirming he's now single on Instagram.
19 of 34Georgia Steel
Georgia Steel was like Marmite on the show, and eventually left the villa with Sam Bird, before their very sour split just months after the show ended.
20 of 34Georgia Steel
After her sour split from Sam Bird, Georgia signed up to Celebs Go Dating (on the same series as Jack Fowler). Despite taking a very handsome man to the final show in Tenerife, nothing seemed to happen after the show. Georgia's also appeared on Celebrity Coach Trip and Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love.During her time on the show, Georgia struck up a relationship with Ibiza Weekender star Callum Izzard and the pair got engaged after a whirlwind romance. Sadly, things just weren't meant to be and they split in April 2020 after just seven months.
21 of 34Charlie Brake
Millionaire Charlie Brake swept Geordie girl Ellie Brown off her feet during his time in the villa, with the pair enjoying a number of luxurious holidays in the months following.
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22 of 34Charlie Brake
Just months later, Charlie was accused of 'cheating' on Ellie, and was also linked to TOWIE stars Ferne McCann and Amber Turner.In other news, he's still a millionaire and appeared alongside his ex Ellie on Ex on the Beach in 2020.
23 of 34Ellie Brown
Following her heartbreak after her romance with Charlie ended, Ellie Brown found comfort in her Love Island besties, including the likes of Zara McDermott, Adam Collard and Kaz Crossley.
24 of 34Ellie Brown
She's now involved in a number of endorsements on her Instagram page, as well as attending events with her co-stars. Ellie struck up an on/off romance with 2019 Islander Michael Griffiths after appearing on Celebrity Ex on the Beach, which reportedly caused a rift with her former friend and Michael's ex Amber Gill. In January 2021, Ellie received a six-month driving ban after pleading guilty to speeding at 101mph.
25 of 34Samira Mighty
It took her a few weeks, but eventually Samira Mighty seemed to find happiness with late arrival Frankie Foster, with Samira leaving the villa after her man was dumped from the show.
26 of 34Samira Mighty
Despite this, just weeks later, Samira dumped Frankie after he was caught cheating on her.Now, Samira is still best friends with a number of her co-stars including Adam Collard and Dani Dyer, and she often posts super sizzling snaps of herself modelling on her Instagram page. In 2019, Samira appeared on The X Factor: Celebrity in a Love Island supergroup made up of Zara McDermott, Eyal Booker and Wes Nelson.
27 of 34Adam Collard
He was the heartbreak kid at the beginning of the series, gaining the 'player' title, but the public's view of Geordie boy Adam Collard soon changed when he turned smitten with Zara McDermott.
28 of 34Adam Collard
Although they lasted nearly a year, Adam and Zara announced they'd split before Valentine's Day (brutal). The PT has been linked to a number of other woman since, including Harley Brash and Delilah Belle Hamlin, but he appears to be single right now. Adam is keeping himself busy on modelling shoots at stunning destinations across the world, as well as promotional deals and his PT business.
29 of 34Zara McDermott
She was the one girl who seemed to 'tame' Adam when she arrived in the villa, and despite leaving before her beau, Adam and Zara McDermott reunited when he left.
30 of 34Zara McDermott
Zara is very active on her Instagram page, landing clothing deals with the likes of Missy Empire, AX Paris and Lasula. In 2019, Zara appeared on The X Factor: Celebrity in a Love Island supergroup made up of Samira Mighty, Eyal Booker and Wes Nelson. It later came to light that she'd cheated on her boyfriend Sam Thompson during her time on the show and they briefly split before reuniting at the end of 2020.After appearing on Made in Chelsea alongside Sam, Zara quit the E4 show in 2020and wants to focus her efforts on other TV work after the success of her revenge porn documentary.
31 of 34Eyal Booker
Despite having one of the best haircuts to ever grace the Love Island villa, poor old Eyal Booker left the show without finding love.
32 of 34Eyal Booker
Don't feel too sorry for him though, as well as THAT snog with Kendall Rae-Knightat the Love Island Christmas reunion, Eyal appeared on Celebs Go Dating and dated American model Delilah Belle Hamlin for two years.Work-wise, Eyal continues to use his handsome face and unreal physique to his advantage, picking up modelling deals left, right and centre. In 2019, Eyal appeared on The X Factor: Celebrity in a Love Island supergroup made up of Samira Mighty, Zara McDermott and Wes Nelson.
33 of 34Rosie Williams
Poor old Rosie Williams had her heart broken by Adam in the villa, resulting in her being dumped from the show far too early.
34 of 34Rosie Williams
After failing to find love in the villa, Rosie was linked to footballer Harry Winks. She later went public with banker boyfriend Wayne Davies but they split after two years in December 2020.