Love Island: Liam Reardon's hometown celebrates win
- Published
An offer of a free pasty and a cocktail named after him is how Liam Reardon's hometown has celebrated his Love Island win.
The Merthyr Tydfil bricklayer was crowned winner alongside partner Millie Court in Monday evening's final.
And as Liam, 22, basks in his newfound reality show fame, people in his Welsh hometown have been celebrating too.
Jorge Dascencao, who owns Liam's local pub, The New Crown, said it brought the whole town together.
He said a Love Island-themed party they hosted to celebrate the show's final sold out in 15 minutes.
'Milliam' cocktail
During the event, the pub was kitted out with palm trees, catchphrases from the hit ITV show, such as "I've got a text", and cheese boards.
"Merthyr is a town that people will come together when they need to come to together," he told BBC Radio Wales.
Liam's favourite cocktail bar Hardie's has even created a custom drink called "The Milliam" - after the couple's joint nickname on the show - which he is "welcome to enjoy" when he returns.
And endorsement of the victory has extended beyond Merthyr's hospitality industry.
Consultant hepatologist Dai Samuel Chuffed tweed that he was "chuffed to bits" over Liam's win.
Chuffed to bits for @_LiamReardon. A lot of people don't like @LoveIsland but I think Liam has and will become a shining light for Merthyr Tydfil. Hope he and Millie are happy but also he stays true to his roots which he has been extremely proud about throughout the series 👍
— Dr Dai Samuel (@docdai) August 23, 2021
Elsewhere, department store Trago Mills - which has a store in the Welsh valley's town - has offered Liam a free pasty and £50 to spend in-store.
Liam's win also put him on a par with Amber Davies, from Denbigh in north Wales, after she won the hit reality show alongside then-partner Kem Cetinay in 2017.
The 24-year-old has gone on to forge a successful showbiz career - appearing in West Ends shows as well as a CBBC children's show.
Other Welsh reality stars include 2005 Big Brother winner Rachel Rice, from Pontypool and Alana Spencer, from Aberystwyth, who won The Apprentice in 2016.
Former Miss Wales Imogen Thomas, lifeguard Glyn Wise, hairdresser Helen Adams and junior doctor Alex George all found fame after appearing on Big Brother and Love Island respectively.
While some contestants have used the platform to propel them to further fame - others have returned to normality.
Both Glyn and Rachel are now teachers and live in relative obscurity while Dr Alex and Amber remain in the public eye.