Kemal Cetinay is a British presenter, TV personality and entrepreneur. He appeared on ITV2 reality series Love Island in 2017, where he won the show's third series.[1][2]

Kem Cetinay
Cetinay in Love Island in 2017
Born
Kemal Cetinay

Essex, England, UK
OccupationTelevision personality
Years active2017–present
Employer(s)ITV, Capital

Early life edit

Cetinay was born in Essex, England, to parents Niyazi and Figen Cetinay, who are from Cyprus. He was raised in Essex along with his brother Izzy.[3]

Career edit

Presenter, TV personality and entrepreneur Cetinay began his career the third series of the ITV2 reality series Love Island. He won the 2017 series and is now the host of the official Love Island podcast The Morning After. During his time in the Love Island villa, Cetinay developed a bromance with fellow Islander Chris Hughes and the pair have starred in multiple formats together, including the ITV2 spin off show Straight Outta Love Island and Channel 4's Celebrity Hunted for Stand Up to Cancer plus two series of ITV2's challenge based entertainment game show You Vs. Chris & Kem.

Cetinay works with ITV's This Morning as their entertainment presenter and after appearing on ITV1's Dancing on Ice in 2018, he became their backstage presenter throughout the 2019 and 2020 series.

In October 2017, he and Hughes released a grime single "Little Bit Leave It" under the name Chris & Kem, which reached number 15 on the UK Singles Chart.[2][4]

Ahead of the fourth series in 2018, it was revealed that Cetinay would be returning alongside Arielle Free to present Love Island: The Morning After, a new daily podcast show delivering the freshest gossip to fans.[5]

In January 2018, Cetinay became a contestant on the 10th series of reality TV show, Dancing on Ice.[6] He and his partner Alex Murphy finished in 4th place. In 2019, he returned to the show as the digital host.[7] He has since gone on to be a guest on several television series, including Love Island: Aftersun, I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp and Happy Hour with Olly Murs, a one-off special.

In June 2019, Cetinay played in the annual Soccer Aid match which was held at Stamford Bridge. With seven minutes remaining Cetinay scored the Rest of the World's second goal and after the match ended 2-2 he scored his team's third and final penalty in the shoot out, which the Rest of the World won 3-1. He followed this by scoring the winning penalty in 2020; two goals in 2021; a goal and a penalty in another victorious shoot out in 2022; and a goal in 2023. He is the top scorer in Soccer Aid matches with five goals.

Cetinay is the co-founder of the restaurant Array in East London.[8]

In 2023, Cetinay joined radio station Capital as a cover presenter. He presents 4-7pm shows generally on a Bank Holiday Monday.

Personal life edit

During 2017, Cetinay dated fellow Love Island contestant, Amber Davies, splitting in December 2017.[9][10]

In August 2022, Cetinay was involved in a collision with 28 year old Tommy Griggs, in Hornchurch, East London, where Griggs was pronounced dead at the scene. A coroner's inquest found that there was "absolutely nothing" that Cetinay could have done to stop the accident.[11]

Filmography edit

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2017 Love Island Contestant Winner series 3
2017 Good Morning Britain Guest Entertainment Editor
2017 Chris & Kem: Straight Outta Love Island Co-presenter 2 episodes
2017 The Weakest Link Contestant Children In Need Celebrity Special
2018 Dancing on Ice Contestant Finished in 4th place
2018–2019 You Vs. Chris & Kem Co-presenter 6 episodes
2018–2019 Kem Cuts Presenter Web series
2018 Celebrity Hunted Participant Finished in 3rd place
2019–present This Morning Showbiz presenter Regular role
2019–2020 Dancing on Ice Backstage host Series 11–12
2019–present Soccer Aid Participant Annually
2021 Celebrity MasterChef Contestant Finished in 5th place [12]
2021 The Full Treatment Co-presenter
Podcast
Year Title Role Note
2018–2022 Love Island: The Morning After Co-presenter
Radio
Year Title Role Slot Station Notes
2019 Kem Monday Presenter 19:00–21:00 Monday Kiss Guest presenter
2023 Kem Cetinay Presenter 16:00–19:00 Monday Capital Guest presenter

Guest appearances edit

Discography edit

Singles edit

As Chris & Kem edit

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[13]
"Little Bit Leave It" 2017 15 Non-album single

References edit

  1. ^ Lorimer, Scott (4 July 2017). "Love Island star Kem Cetinay to meet fans in Dundee". Evening Telegraph. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Love Island". itv.com. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Love Island: Kem's mum Figen Cetinay on her "sensitive boy"". T-Vine. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
  4. ^ "Love Island's Chris and Kem: 'I mean … we're not necessarily rappers, are we?'". The Guardian. 19 December 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  5. ^ "Kem Cetinay lands Love Island presenting job". Digital Spy. 27 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Dancing on Ice: Who is Love Island's Kem Cetinay?". Metro. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Kem Cetinay joins Dancing On Ice as new digital host". tellymix.co.uk. 31 October 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Meet Our Team – Array Essex". www.arrayessex.com. 15 May 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Kem Cetinay: Dancing On Ice helped during split from Amber". Belfasttelegraph. Retrieved 6 February 2018 – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Kem Cetinay 'gutted' to see ex Amber Davies linked to other men". Independent.ie. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ "Celebrity MasterChef eliminates first star in finals week". Digital Spy. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Chris & Kem - full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 June 2019.

External links edit