Love Island’s Mike Boateng reveals lockdown was ‘tough’ on his romance with ex Priscilla Anyabu

Their split was revealed after 15 months of dating last week. 

And Love Island‘s Mike Boateng has revealed that lockdown was ‘tough’ on his relationship with Priscilla Anyabu, 27, as he opened up about their shock split.

In a new interview, the former police officer, 26, admitted that he also felt ‘pressure’ to represent ‘black love’, amid fan excitement of a black couple forming on the show. 

Relationship woes: Love Island’s Mike Boateng has revealed that lockdown was ‘tough’ on his relationship with Priscilla Anyabu, 27, as he opened up about their shock split

Discussing the end of their romance, he told Capital XTRA‘s Will Njobvu: ‘We’re not together anymore. It was never really a bad breakup, in fact it wasn’t a bad breakup at all, we just had a mature conversation.

‘I think we were together for 15 months, and like any couple, a lot of things happen, nothing bad where someone cheated on somebody or anything like that.

‘We just kind of, lockdown was tough for us, didn’t really have a lot of space away from each other, we had a grown up conversation, like adults, saying in order to save our friendship, maybe we have to take time away as a couple. 

‘You never know what’s going to happen in life, but for now yeah, Mike is single.’

All over: In a new interview, the former police officer, 26, admitted that he also felt 'pressure' to represent 'black love', amid fan excitement of a black couple forming on the show

All over: In a new interview, the former police officer, 26, admitted that he also felt ‘pressure’ to represent ‘black love’, amid fan excitement of a black couple forming on the show

Opening up on the point they realised their relationship was no longer working amid spending so much time together in lockdown, he continued: ‘That was the period that made it tough for us, because we were together all the time. We never really had no space away from each other.’

Meanwhile, the reality star told how he felt ‘pressure’ to live up to fans expectations and delight over their ‘black love’ romance.

After he formed the first black pairing on the show with Leanne Amaning, Mike went on to find love with model Priscilla, with fans championing their romance and willing it to go the distance.

Discussing the pressure he felt, he went on: ‘There was a lot of pressure as well, the whole Black love thing, everyone wanted it. I’m not going to lie, even though we said we didn’t feel the pressure, we felt the pressure, so it was tough.’

Split: 'We just kind of, lockdown was tough for us, didn’t really have a lot of space away from each other, we had a grown up conversation, like adults, saying in order to save our friendship, maybe we have to take time away as a couple'

Split: ‘We just kind of, lockdown was tough for us, didn’t really have a lot of space away from each other, we had a grown up conversation, like adults, saying in order to save our friendship, maybe we have to take time away as a couple’

‘But like I said, I think around December time last year we had a real conversation with each other, like “yeah we’re going to do this, if not, then let’s make sure we move on with our lives” and that’s what happened.

‘We broke up around December, we got back together, we wanted to make it work, the relationship was not fake, we really wanted to make it work, we made it until February and then after Feb we decided to quit it.’

Mike then became slightly confused as Will asked whether their split was before or after he met yup with former flame Leanne, with the hunk responding: ‘Hmm’.

Tough: 'There was a lot of pressure as well, the whole Black love thing, everyone wanted it. I’m not going to lie, even though we said we didn’t feel the pressure, we felt the pressure, so it was tough' (pictured in March 2020)

Tough: ‘There was a lot of pressure as well, the whole Black love thing, everyone wanted it. I’m not going to lie, even though we said we didn’t feel the pressure, we felt the pressure, so it was tough’ (pictured in March 2020)

Details: 'I think around December time last year we had a real conversation with each other, like “yeah we’re going to do this, if not, then let’s make sure we move on with our lives' (pictured on Love Island in 2020)

Details: ‘I think around December time last year we had a real conversation with each other, like “yeah we’re going to do this, if not, then let’s make sure we move on with our lives’ (pictured on Love Island in 2020)

Will went on: ‘I was like, did Priscilla approve this? And now I’m trying to connect the dots, but were you thinking, now that the relationship is done I can catch up with Leanne and just see how she is?’ 

Clearing things up, Mike explained: ‘Wait, the timeline is so messy. I think we were still working things out, but it wasn’t a thing whereby it was techy, when the Leanne thing came up, I made Prisc aware.’

When asked if he could see himself talking to Leanne in a romantic capacity, he responded: ‘Probably not!’ 

Timelines: Mike then became slightly confused as Will asked whether their split was before or after he met yup with former flame Leanne, with the hunk responding: 'Hmm'

Timelines: Mike then became slightly confused as Will asked whether their split was before or after he met yup with former flame Leanne, with the hunk responding: ‘Hmm’

He added: ‘That’s a bit of a wild question, nah, but we are friends though.’

Priscilla and Mike, who met on the winter series of Love Island in 2020, no longer follow each other on Instagram, while Mike has removed any recent pictures of her from his profile. 

A source close to the pair recently confirmed to MailOnline the former policeman and model have gone their separate ways, but they still remain friends. 

An insider said: ‘Mike and Priscilla made the most out of their relationship and supported each other throughout their time post-villa and during lockdown.

Sad news: Priscilla and Mike, who met on the winter series of Love Island in 2020, no longer follow each other on Instagram, while Mike has removed any recent pictures of her from his profile

Sad news: Priscilla and Mike, who met on the winter series of Love Island in 2020, no longer follow each other on Instagram, while Mike has removed any recent pictures of her from his profile

'Separate ways': The Love Island couple, who met on the winter series in 2020, no longer follow each other on Instagram and Mike has removed any pictures of Priscilla from his profile

‘Separate ways’: The Love Island couple, who met on the winter series in 2020, no longer follow each other on Instagram and Mike has removed any pictures of Priscilla from his profile

‘But it’s not worked out between them – and they’ve now decided they’re better off as friends.’ 

The couple met on the winter series of Love Island in 2020, and lost out on winning the show to Paige Turley, 22, and Finn Tapp, 21, who scooped the £50,000 prize.

In January, Mike reflected on his time in the ITV2 villa, saying he had ’embarked on a journey of discovery’ and being part of the series helped him to ‘grow as a person.’

Mike said in his eyes he had ‘won the show’ by meeting Priscilla and it was a miracle he’d gone from having ‘the ick’ to being in a relationship with someone he loved. 

MailOnline contacted Mike and Priscilla’s representatives for comment.

'It's not worked out': A source close to the pair confirmed to MailOnline the former policeman and model have gone their separate ways, but they still remain friends

‘It’s not worked out’: A source close to the pair confirmed to MailOnline the former policeman and model have gone their separate ways, but they still remain friends