Connor Newsum, a 30-year-old American health coach, content creator, and reality TV personality, gained fame as a bombshell on Love Island USA Season 6 in 2024. He entered the villa on Day 2 and spent 13 days on the show before being eliminated. Since leaving, he has appeared on the Peacock spinoff Love Island: Beyond the Villa and made headlines for his post-villa dating life, including a dinner date with Vanderpump Rules star Katie Maloney and a confirmed relationship with Love Island USA Season 5 alum Carmen Kocourek.
Profile Summary and Early Life
Connor Allan Newsum was born on 29 March 1996 in Spokane, Washington, to Phil and Debi Newsum. His father, Phil, was a former principal at Glover's, while his mother, Debi, is a retired principal for the Reardan-Edwall school district. He has one older sibling, Jenika Newsum Enakhimion, a senior brand manager at Diageo. Connor stands 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) tall, has brown hair and grey eyes, and is of African-American and White heritage.
Education and Career
Connor attended Lewis and Clark High School. After graduating in 2015, he worked as an area manager at Signature Parking. Five years later, he enrolled at California State University, Northridge, earning a bachelor's degree in journalism and public relations in 2023. While in college, he worked as a logistics specialist at Nomad in Santa Barbara until March 2021, then joined FaZe Clan as a public relations coordinator. In January 2024, he began working at JSA+Partners as a PR specialist in Santa Monica, California. An avid outdoors enthusiast, he enjoys snowboarding, surfing, scuba diving, hiking, and triathlons, having competed in the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon in August 2021 and the Malibu Triathlon in September 2022.
Love Island USA Journey
Connor entered the Love Island USA Season 6 villa on Day 2 as a bombshell. He initially pursued Kaylor Martin, sharing a kiss before she chose Aaron Evans. He then connected with JaNa Craig, but that pairing ended when he redirected his attention to Leah Kateb after her relationship with Rob Rausch ended. Reflecting on his breakup with JaNa, Connor told Today, "I think I could have done things a little bit differently with JaNa. I regret some of the things that I said or did. But, ultimately, we were able to come to a nice understanding that we were friends." He was left single in episode 16 and sent home after Leah chose Miguel Harichi over him. JaNa later told Elite Daily, "The only person I really had a problem with was Connor... That's a 2024 thing. When the clock ticked to 2025, it was a new year. It's a whole new energy, so I decided to just let it go."
Post-Villa Dating Life
After leaving the villa, Connor revealed he had connected with Cassidy Laudano, a fellow Love Island USA Season 6 contestant. In an exclusive with US Weekly, he said, "She got out, and I was like, 'Hey, so what's up?' We've been texting and, maybe, potentially making some light plans. We got along really well. We had a lot in common… We just had a lot of similar interests, love for animals... She's really easy to talk to, she's gorgeous, and just fun to be around." On 31 July 2024, Connor and Vanderpump Rules star Katie Maloney were spotted having dinner at Laurel Tavern in Studio City, California. Katie later clarified on The Viall Files podcast, "We went on one date. I didn't even categorise it as that... Somebody told on us at the bar we went to. He definitely freaked out about it."
Relationship with Carmen Kocourek
On 2 July 2025, Connor hard-launched his relationship with Love Island USA Season 5 alum Carmen Kocourek on Instagram with a now-deleted post captioned "An update" alongside a five-photo carousel, including one of him kissing her cheek. Carmen responded with a heart and angel emoji. As of June 2026, it is unclear whether they are still together, as they are no longer sharing each other's social media updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Connor Newsum known for? He is best known for his appearance on Love Island USA Season 6.
- What is Connor Newsum's ethnicity? He is biracial, with African-American and White heritage.
- How old is Connor Newsum? He is 30 years old as of 2026.
- What is Connor Newsum's height? He is 6 feet 2 inches (188 cm) tall.
- Who are Connor Newsum's parents? His parents are Phil and Debi Newsum.
- What does Connor Newsum do for a living? He is a fitness coach and PR specialist.
- Is Connor from Love Island in a relationship? Since July 2025, he has been in a relationship with Carmen Kocourek.
- Where is Connor Newsum from? He is originally from Spokane, Washington.
- Are Carmen and Connor still together? They have been together since going public in 2025, but current status is unclear.
- Is Connor Newsum on Instagram? Yes, he has had an Instagram account since December 2011, with over 119,300 followers as of June 2026.
