Huge reality stars look unrecognisable in a sweet birthday throwback snap – can you guess who they are?

A funny old photo shows two popular reality TV stars looking very different from how they appear on screen today.

Both actors became well-known from appearing on the same popular TV show, and they often share how close they are on social media.

One of the two stars posted a photo from their teenage years as a heartfelt birthday message.

He wrote with the post: ‘Happy birthday to my best friend—the person I admire most in the world!’

‘You’ve been there for me every single day of my life at my highest and my lowest.’

Have you guessed who they are yet?

That’s right – it’s Sam and Louise Thompson!

Sam posted some cute photos for Louise’s 36th birthday, including an old picture from when his sister was 18.

He also wrote that he appreciates every moment he gets to playfully bother me, and that he loves me and couldn’t ask for a better sister. He ended with ‘P.S. 36!’

‘You’re now officially a KAREN here are some photos than you probably don’t want anyone to see.’

Louise found the old photo hilarious, writing, ‘I can’t stop laughing at slide 5! Look at our hair!’

Sam has always been a supportive brother, and he was thrilled to be at the launch of his sister Louise’s new clothing line with Nobody’s Child earlier this month.

Louise flew to Antigua for a birthday trip with her fiancé, Ryan Libbey, and their four-year-old son, Leo.

After ending his relationship with Zara McDermott in January, Sam has started dating model Talitha Balinska and recently told her he loves her for the first time.

The TV star publicly confirmed he was dating the influencer in early December. They recently went on a double date with Sam’s sister, Louise, and her partner, Ryan Libbey.

Sam recently shared that he confessed his love for Talitha while they were relaxing on the couch. He admitted to Pete that he’d felt this way for a while, but found it difficult to actually say it out loud.

Pete and Sam were talking about Valentine’s Day when Pete asked if Sam had told Talitha he loved her. Sam said he had.

He realized he had some news to share, recalling a particularly awkward moment that happened while he was sitting on the sofa.

We were sitting on the sofa, and I’d suspected for a while, but I kept holding back because I thought it was too soon to mention it.

Instead of telling him I loved him, I gradually expressed my feelings. I started by saying ‘I like you,’ then ‘I like you a lot.’ I’d even leave the house thinking, ‘I like you a lot!’ It was a slow process of opening up.

He recalled Talitha previously telling him she liked him too, and then explained that when he said he liked her, he meant something more – he was expressing deeper feelings while they were both sitting on the sofa.

‘And then she was like ‘what does it mean?’ and then I panicked, and I went ‘it means I hate you’.’

After the uncomfortable silence, Sam admitted he’d tried to cheer Talitha up but hadn’t succeeded. She then revealed she’d been hoping for a kind compliment.

Pete teased, ‘Glad you’re the reason this is so awkward!’ Sam chimed in, ‘It was so awkward! I even blurted out that I think I love you.’

I was so on the edge of my seat when Pete pressed his friend for exactly what he’d said! He needed to know the precise wording – was it a tentative ‘I’m falling in love with you,’ a confirmed ‘I have fallen in love with you,’ or the simple, direct ‘I love you?’ It was everything!

Sam confessed, ‘I think I’m in love with you.’ She immediately regretted saying it, not wanting to fully express her feelings. She asked what I meant, and I got flustered, just like I am now, and kind of froze up. We sat in awkward silence for a while after that.

She asked me to say something, so I told her I loved her. She said it back, and then we sat down on the couch and started a movie. We watched in comfortable silence for a while, then suddenly we both just started laughing.

‘That’s why I love her we are both quite awkward people, and so it was quite a nice moment.’

Sam said since saying the famous L word he ‘can’t stop’ telling Talitha.

2026-03-29 13:19

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