Viewers spotted the pair seemingly interacting on social media in the past (Picture: ITV/Shutterstock)

Love Island stars Olivia Hawkins and Zara Deniz Lackenby-Brown might know each other outside the villa, but the pair failed to mention their apparent history when they addressed the tension that had been brewing between them.

On last night’s episode of the ITV2 series, the islanders – who are away in South Africa – took game in a friendly game of dare beer pong… but things quickly took a turn for the awkward.

Zara, who recently joined the cast as a new bombshell, was challenged to kiss a contestant on both of their cheeks who she would describe as being two-faced, and she chose Olivia.

As Olivia was left feeling ‘humiliated’ by Zara’s decision, eagle-eyed viewers who’d found the pair on Instagram realised that they’d seemingly interacted on social media in the past, exchanging messages in the comment section.

Nonetheless, on Friday night’s episode when they came face-to-face to discuss what happened in the beer pong game, there was no word of them having any prior knowledge of each other.

Olivia admitted that she initially wanted to wait until the next day for their chat, because being a ‘hot head’, she was concerned about what she might say in the heat of the moment.

Zara claimed she thought Olivia would take the game as ‘banter’ (Picture: ITV2)

However, they managed to put the miscommunication to bed, as Zara explained that she chose Olivia in the challenge because she thought that she would take it as ‘banter’, rather than as a personal slight.

‘I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ Zara insisted, as Olivia replied: ‘I felt humiliated. I’m just telling you how I felt.’

Olivia believed Zara chose her on purpose for the ‘two-faced’ dare (Credits: ITV2)

Olivia stressed that while she ‘can take banter’, she found being called ‘two-faced’ as a ‘personal’ insult.

‘The last thing I’d want to do is hurt you,’ Zara emphasised, as Olivia told her that she’d accepted the apology.

Speaking in the Beach Hut on her own, Olivia shared: ‘I was reluctant to speak to her tonight, but I’m glad I squashed it,’ before adding: ‘I think she knew what she was doing and she did pick me for a reason.’

Several people watching at home found it odd that neither of the women mentioned that they knew each other before in the real world.

‘They only show us what they wanna show us so if Zara and Olivia really do know each other, they’ve spoken off air trust,’ one person speculated.

‘I was wondering why Olivia was so convinced Zara was trying to get a rise out of her when they just met but they actually know each other outside? Interesting,’ another remarked.

Love Island returns tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.

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Viewers spotted the pair seemingly interacting on social media in the past.