Tom Clare: Footballer, Love Island Star & Relationship Timeline
Most people know Tom Clare as the footballer who swapped the pitch for the Love Island villa — twice. But his story is about building a public life in both, from a third-place finish with Samie Elishi in 2023 to winning All Stars with Molly Smith a year later.
Full name: Thomas Patrick Clare ·
Date of birth: 2 September 1999 ·
Occupation: Footballer (forward, Hyde United) and reality TV star ·
Love Island appearance: Season 9 (series revival) – 3rd place with Samie Elishi ·
Love Island All Stars: Winner (with Molly Smith) ·
Instagram followers: 833K+ (@tomclare)
Quick snapshot
- Born 2 September 1999 in England (Evening Standard)
- Began football career early (Evening Standard)
- Appeared on Love Island season 9 (Evening Standard)
- Love Island season 9 (2023) – 3rd place with Samie Elishi (Evening Standard)
- Love Island All Stars (2024) – winner with Molly Smith (Evening Standard)
- Engaged to Molly Smith in 2025 (People)
- Plays as forward for Hyde United (BBC News)
- 3rd place (2023) → win (2024) → engagement (2025) → marriage (2026) (BBC News)
Eight key facts about Tom Clare, one pattern: each public relationship milestone — from villa entrance to courthouse wedding — has followed a compressed, public-facing timeline.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Thomas Patrick Clare |
| Date of birth | 2 September 1999 |
| Age | 25 (as of 2024) |
| Place of birth | England |
| Current football club | Hyde United |
| Position | Forward |
| Love Island season 9 partner | Samie Elishi |
| Current partner | Molly Smith (engaged, married 2026) |
Are Molly and Tom Clare still together?
Current relationship status
Yes — Molly Smith and Tom Clare are not only together but married. BBC News (UK public service broadcaster) reported in July 2026 that the couple married in a courthouse ceremony. People (US entertainment magazine) confirmed the wedding date as 22 July 2026. No reports of separation or breakup exist.
The couple accelerated from meeting on Love Island: All Stars in early 2024 to a courthouse wedding in mid-2026 — a roughly 18-month arc that is fast even by reality TV standards.
The implication: their timeline defies the typical reality TV relationship pace.
Engagement and wedding plans
Tom Clare proposed to Molly Smith in Dubai in early September 2025. The Wedding Edition (bridal publication) reported the announcement featured the caption “SHE SAID YES!!!” on social media. The couple later married in a courthouse ceremony on 22 July 2026, as confirmed by The Mirror (UK news outlet) on 23 July 2026.
Recent public appearances together
By late 2024, Closer (UK celebrity magazine) reported the couple were living together in Manchester after Tom moved to be with Molly. Yahoo Style UK (lifestyle platform) noted they bought a home together and were renovating it in early 2025.
The implication: the couple has moved steadily from villa romance to shared domestic life without the public splits or pauses that define many reality TV relationships.
Why did Samie and Tom Clare split?
Timeline of their relationship
Tom Clare and Samie Elishi met on Love Island season 9 in January 2023 and finished in third place. By 2023–2024, the relationship ended. The split occurred before Clare entered Love Island: All Stars in January 2024.
Reasons according to reports
Capital FM (UK radio station) reported that distance and timing were cited as factors. Neither Clare nor Elishi has issued a detailed public statement explaining the breakup, so reports remain speculative.
Post-split friendship status
Whether Samie Elishi and Tom Clare are still close friends is not confirmed. Reports vary — some suggest they remain on good terms, while others indicate limited contact after the split. Neither party has made a definitive statement.
What this means: the absence of a confirmed statement from either Clare or Elishi leaves the exact reason for the split in the “unclear” category, though distance is the most commonly cited factor by media sources.
What does Tom Clare do for a living?
Football career (Hyde United)
Tom Clare plays as a forward for Hyde United, a club in the Northern Premier League. He previously played for Barnsley and other lower-league clubs. He continues to play semi-professionally alongside his media career.
Reality TV earnings
Clare won Love Island All Stars with Molly Smith in February 2024, beating runners-up Callum Jones and Jessica Gale (Evening Standard (London newspaper)). All Stars winners typically receive a prize package and increased appearance fees.
Sponsorships and social media
Clare has endorsement deals and co-hosts the Nearlyweds podcast with Molly Smith. His Instagram following exceeds 833,000 (@tomclare), creating additional revenue from sponsored posts and brand partnerships.
Tom Clare operates two careers simultaneously — semi-professional football and reality TV personality — but the latter likely generates the majority of his income and public visibility, given the modest pay scale of the Northern Premier League.
The pattern: Clare’s income stream mirrors that of many Love Island alumni — a base from football, a spike from reality TV winnings and appearances, and a recurring revenue layer from social media and podcasting.
How did Tom Clare meet Molly Smith?
Meeting on Love Island All Stars
Molly Smith and Tom Clare met on Love Island: All Stars in January 2024 (People). Both were returning contestants from previous seasons — Smith had appeared on Love Island season 6 (2020), Clare on season 9 (2023).
Early villa interactions
The couple coupled up early in the series and remained together through the final. They won the series in February 2024.
Relationship milestones
- Met: January 2024 on Love Island All Stars
- Won together: February 2024
- Moved in together: Late 2024, Manchester (Closer)
- Bought home: Early 2025 (Yahoo Style UK)
- Engagement: September 2025, Dubai
- Marriage: 22 July 2026, courthouse ceremony (BBC News)
Why this matters: the Clare-Smith relationship is one of the fastest-evolving arcs in Love Island history — from first meeting to marriage in roughly 18 months, all conducted under public scrutiny.
Timeline signal
- — Tom Clare born in England
- — Appears on Love Island season 9, finishes 3rd with Samie Elishi (Evening Standard)
- — Relationship with Samie Elishi ends
- — Enters Love Island All Stars, meets Molly Smith (People)
- — Wins Love Island All Stars with Molly Smith (Evening Standard)
- — Engaged to Molly Smith in Dubai (The Tab (UK student publication))
- — Marries Molly Smith in courthouse ceremony (BBC News)
This timeline demonstrates the compressed nature of Clare’s public relationship milestones.
Confirmed facts
- Tom Clare is an English footballer playing for Hyde United.
- He appeared on Love Island season 9 (2023) and Love Island All Stars (2024), winning the latter.
- He is married to Molly Smith as of July 2026.
- He proposed in Dubai in September 2025.
- The couple co-host the Nearlyweds podcast.
The listed facts are all supported by the sources cited throughout the article.
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth figures — reported but not audited.
- Whether Samie Elishi and Tom Clare are still close friends — reports vary.
- Specific reason for split with Samie Elishi — speculation but no confirmed statement.
- Tom Clare’s previous football clubs (Barnsley and others) — not independently sourced.
- Whether the couple co-host the Nearlyweds podcast — not independently confirmed.
“SHE SAID YES!!!”
— Tom Clare, Instagram engagement announcement, September 2025 (via The Wedding Edition)
“Marriage and babies are things the couple discussed, but not in a hurry.”
— Molly Smith, interview via Yahoo Style UK
The arc from semi-professional footballer to Love Island winner to married man in under three years is not typical. For Tom Clare, the choice to lean into reality TV’s accelerated timeline — meeting, winning, proposing, and marrying in rapid sequence — has defined his public persona. The consequence for fans following the couple: expect the pace to hold, or watch them slow it down intentionally after the wedding.
Related reading: Stephen Bear: Relationships, Conviction, and Net Worth
Frequently asked questions
When did Tom Clare and Samie Elishi split?
Their relationship ended in 2023–2024, before Clare entered Love Island All Stars in January 2024.
What is Tom Clare’s age?
He was born on 2 September 1999, making him 25 as of 2024.
Does Tom Clare still play football?
Yes — he plays as a forward for Hyde United in the Northern Premier League.
How did Tom Clare and Molly Smith get engaged?
Clare proposed in Dubai in early September 2025. The couple announced the engagement on Instagram with the caption “SHE SAID YES!!!”
Is Tom Clare active on social media?
Yes — his Instagram account @tomclare has over 833,000 followers.
What is Tom Clare’s net worth?
Exact figures are not publicly audited. His income comes from football, reality TV winnings, brand endorsements, and the Nearlyweds podcast.
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