Adelaide woman Claudia Bonifazio wins hit reality show Love Island

Adelaide local Claudia Bonifazio who won the dating reality show Love Island says her and Sydney based Austen are a “genuine couple”.

Love Island winners, Adelaide local Claudia Bonifazio and partner Austen Bugeja, say winning was “just the cherry on top” of an amazing experience, walking away with $50,000 prize money.

Despite being booted off the show in the first episode, the Adelaide-based actor made a triumphant return in the second episode, going on to take out the whole competition.

Dubbed the Sicilian ‘pocket rocket’, Claudia, who graduated from Marryatville in 2017, says her and Sydney-based Austen are a “genuine” couple and she “still can’t believe” they met each other.

“He’s going to kill me for saying this but he (Austen) made a PowerPoint explaining why we are soulmates,” Claudia told The Advertiser.

“Austen and I had this weird, most genuine connection.”

Currently, Austen is still living and working as a car spray painter in Sydney, but has plans to move to Adelaide in early January.

Claudia can't wait to read a few books after she settles in back home after the show. Picture: Instagram

The couple have moved to Adelaide, Claudia's hometown, to start their life together. Picture: Instagram

The 23-year-old former medical secretary has been back in Adelaide from Spain where the show’s fourth season was filmed, since September.

“It’s a bit crazy after your announced,” Claudia said.

Claudia had just broken up with her now ex-boyfriend Jason, only a week prior to receiving a text from Love Island producers asking her to join this year’s cast.

The Adelaide-born actor had auditioned for the show the year before but was unsuccessful.

“I was like, wow this is a sign,” she said.

“They said they were going to Spain and I just thought you know what, why not?

“I asked my sister and my mum and they were like, Claudia if you don’t do this, you’re going to be the stupidest person ever,” she said.

However, the young actor was concerned how being on the show would affect her career as an actor.

“I’ve been doing acting for eight years and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted to do.

“My goal in life is to be an actor,” she said.

“I didn’t want it (being on Love Island) to affect how people would view me as a person and as a serious actor because sometimes it can make you be seen as a little less serious in the industry,” she said.

“I wanted to make sure I wasn’t known as a reality TV star but also an actor as well.”

When Claudia returned to Adelaide in September after filming the show, she left her job as a medical secretary to begin filming, Spithood, a thriller film directed by Adelaide director, Tim Pine.

“When I got back from Spain, I had a bit of a break and then a month and a bit later, I started filming Spithood,” she said.

Claudia has been a working actor since 2016, when she was cast in television series Goober.

The day after Australia discovered she won, the 23-year-old former medical secretary took to Instagram to gush about partner, Austen.

“I still can’t believe I found someone as amazing as you. I can’t put into words how thankful I am for you.

“You have proved to the world (and me) that there ARE still decent men out there. You have shown loyalty, patience (sorry), forgiveness and an insane amount of maturity.

“Whatever happens, I have you and that’s all I can ask for. I love you so much, thank you for being on this journey with me,” Claudia wrote of winning season four of the dating reality show with Austen.

“I love you, I love you, I love you.”

Claudia graduated from Marryatville High School in 2017. Picture: Instagram

Claudia works as a medical secretary in Adelaide. Picture: Instagram

Claudia and Austen have been spending time together in her hometown of Adelaide.

“It’s such a small, tight-knit community here but they love Austen,” Claudia said.

“He’s like Tom Cruise, people are all over him.

“We are excited to be out and in love. We are very grateful it happened.”

Austen said: “She’s like the girl version of me. I’ll be moving to Adelaide and then hopefully we’ll go to Sydney. Some people just work.”

In terms of the prize money, Claudia and Austen’s family both want them to save the winnings, but according to Claudia she is planning on spending the money on Christmas gifts for the people she loves the most.