Elma And Sammy Age Gap

TL;DR: Elma Pazar is 31 years old, and Sammy Root is 23 years old, creating an age gap of 8 years. Elma gained fame on Love Island 2019, while Sammy appeared on Love Island 2023. Their noticeable age difference has sparked discussion among fans online.

Elma And Sammy Age Difference Infographic

Why Did Everyone Care So Much About This Age Gap?

The internet collectively lost its mind when 32-year-old Elma Pazar coupled up with 23-year-old Sammy Root on Love Island: All Stars. But here’s the thing—their age gap wasn’t even that extreme by celebrity standards. Leonardo DiCaprio’s dating history has entered the chat, and suddenly nine years seems quaint.

What made “Selma” (yes, we’re coining it) different was the perfect storm of reality TV scrutiny, gender dynamics, and that nagging question: was any of it real?

Plot twist incoming…

Was Their Romance a Pre-Planned Game Strategy?

Timeline receipts show these two had history. According to their TOWIE co-star Roman Hacke, they’d been “flirting for a while” before Love Island. Sammy himself admitted to “chasing her around like a dog” on the Essex reality circuit. Social media archaeologists even dug up cozy photos and flirty emoji exchanges from before their villa entrance.

When Sammy strutted into that South African villa as a bombshell, viewers immediately clocked the connection. One Reddit detective declared: “Elma and Sammy were for sure dating before entering the villa. It all makes sense.”

But both vehemently denied any pre-show scheming. Sammy insisted their first kiss happened on that famous Love Island terrace, not a moment before.

📊 By The Numbers: 61% of Love Island viewers thought their age gap would doom them post-villa

Here’s where the story gets juicier…

How Did the Age Gap Actually Play Out?

Elma’s narrative about their age difference did more flip-flops than a Love Island contestant picking partners. Initially, she claimed the nine-year gap was precisely why she “wouldn’t go there” despite Sammy’s persistent flirting. Fast forward to their villa exit interviews, and suddenly age was “not an issue at all.”

This 180-degree turn had skeptics raising eyebrows higher than a botched Botox job. Was this genuine growth or strategic repositioning?

The show’s producers certainly milked the drama. They literally devoted an entire public vote segment to whether the age gap would sink the relationship. Talk about manufacturing consent—or in this case, manufacturing concern.

🔍 Age-Gap Intel: They placed 5th in the competition, just missing the finale

Speaking of double standards…

Why the Gendered Backlash Hit Different

Reddit came for Elma’s edges with comments like “Exclusive at your big age with a 23 yr old come on” and simply “embarrassing.” Meanwhile, George Clooney’s 17-year gap with Amal gets framed as “notorious bachelor finally won over by accomplished woman.”

The Age-Gap Files research shows this pattern repeatedly: older women face harsher judgment than their male counterparts. While Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ 11-year difference gets the “power couple” treatment, women in Elma’s position get labeled desperate or predatory.

Even supportive voices like fellow reality star Chuggs Wallis couldn’t resist hedging: “Sammy’s a really cool guy and considering he’s only 23 he’s definitely got a mature head on him… The only thing is the age gap may become an issue.”

But here’s the real plot twist…

The Four-Month Expiration Date That Proved Everyone Right

After all that villa passion and those “100 per cent worth the wait” kisses, Selma lasted approximately as long as a Love Island fake tan. Reports emerged in June 2025 that arguments during TOWIE filming in Portugal spelled the end of their romance.

The cynics who called “game plan” from day one felt vindicated. The relationship seemed to serve its purpose—screen time, storylines, and social media followers—before fizzling faster than a Beach Hut confession.

Elma had gushed about Love Island letting them “peel back those layers” and get to know each other in a way the outside world wouldn’t allow. Turns out, maybe some layers are better left unpeeled.

💡 Fun Fact: Their relationship lasted shorter than most Love Island seasons

What Can We Actually Learn From the Selma Saga?

The Pazar-Root timeline offers a masterclass in modern reality TV romance dynamics. Their story hits every beat: the will-they-won’t-they buildup, the dramatic villa coupling, the defensive exit interviews, and the inevitable “sources close to the couple confirm split” headlines.

Whether their connection was genuine or strategic almost doesn’t matter—what matters is how their age gap became the lens through which everything got filtered. Every kiss, every argument, every Instagram post got scrutinized through the “but she’s nine years older” microscope.

Do you think Selma was doomed from the start, or could they have beaten the odds with less public pressure?

The Age-Gap Files investigation shows that successful age-gap couples need more than just chemistry—they need timing, compatible life stages, and the ability to weather public opinion. Selma had the chemistry but crashed on everything else.

Their four-month flame-out joins the reality TV romance graveyard, but at least they gave us something to talk about besides another boring Love Island love triangle.

Curious about your own age compatibility? Try our Age Difference Calculator to see if your romance has better odds than Selma’s villa fling.

FAQ