Love Island is back on our screens, and one contestant in particular has been making headlines, thanks to her famous dad.
Gemma Owen is the daughter of former footballer Michael Owen, and the ex-Liverpool player has confessed he’s living “every dad’s worst nightmare” seeing her look for love on the ITV2 dating show.
There’s been plenty of contestants who have celebrity connections who have entered the Spanish villa over the years, from former Blazin’ Squad member Marcel Somerville, to Danny Dyer’s daughter Dani.
Here, we take a look at the contestants who didn’t keep their fame a secret from their fellow islanders…
Dani Dyer
The eldest daughter of soap star and Cockney legend Danny Dyer appeared on the 2018 series of Love Island, and she managed to name drop her famous daddy before even entering the villa.
In a trailer for the show, Dani was asked about her worst-ever date, and she recalled one night with a guy that ended badly, thanks to her dad.
“It was when a boy told the waitress who my dad was! We were sitting there and then he tapped the waitress on the shoulder and said ‘do you know who her dad is?’ He told the waitress again when we walked out,” Dani said.
And after partnering up with Jack Fincham on the first day in the villa, she had viewers in stitches as she blurted out: “Let’s just get it out the way, my dad’s Danny Dyer.”
The EastEnders star famously disapproved of his daughter appearing on the ITV2 dating show, and when she reached the final with boyfriend Jack Fincham, he jokingly threatened the pen salesman during a video call.
Marcel Somerville
The former Blazin’ Squad member famously said he didn’t want anyone to know about his days in the rap/pop boyband, but wasted no time in dropping it into almost every conversation with his fellow contestants during his stint on the show in 2017.
Speaking to Dom round the pool, Marcel told him: “No obviously I used to be in the Blazin' Squad when I was a kid. Dom, how could you not know bruv?”
However, he later claimed he was told by producers to talk about his time in the band, and he said he was picked for the show “for that reason”.
“They'd be like, 'Have a conversation with Olivia and could you just let her know you used to be in Blazin' Squad?’” he told OK! magazine.
“I don't mind because it's a bit of fun and it got a lot of love. But I only said it five times,” Marcel insisted.
Tommy Fury
Before making his debut in the villa in 2019, he revealed his famous family connection, telling reporters his big brother Tyson Fury was backing him “all the way” as he prepared to find his soulmate and win £50,000.
“It’s very important for me to show that I’m not following anybody and I’m not doing it off the back of anybody,” Tommy explained.
“I won’t be bragging about who I am. I’ve never boasted about who I am or what my last name is,” he added.
It was later revealed that the heavyweight boxer had tried to talk his little brother out of appearing on the dating show, as he thought it would ruin Tommy’s lucrative boxing career.
‘So at first I said “nah, it won’t be a good idea that, you’ll mess up what you’re doing in your career, you’re on a roll, keep with the boxing’,” Tyson said in an interview on The Lateish Show With Mo Gilligan.
But he admitted Tommy made a savvy career move by signing up to the show.
“He’s been on the show, I don’t know, about six weeks, and he’s probably already got more of a following than if he would’ve had 40 professional fights, so I think it’s a very good move what he’s doing,” Tyson confessed.
Belle Hassan
The blonde stunner is daughter to British actor Tamer Hassan, and she claimed the Game of Thrones star had actually helped her land a place in the villa.
“I had a conversation with my dad and he asked me if I wanted to do the show,” she told Closer.
“I didn't really think much of it and before I knew it one of his friends [got me in contact] with someone at ITV and then I did the audition and started the application process,” Belle admitted.
The model was coupled up with Scottish hunk Anton Danyluk, and he was left trembling with fear when Tamer issued a stark warning to his daughter’s boyfriend.
“Here’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to go on a nice little road trip… a little rally… and we’re gunna chew the fat - and we’ll go from there!” he said, prompting nervous laughter from Anton.
But Belle failed to mention her dad’s fame until she went on a date with Anton, and blurted out that he was a “famous actor”.
“He’s in a lot of British gangster films,” she told him.
