There's a celebrity child on this year's Love Island as Gemma Owen is the daughter of football Michael Owen, with fans already speculating when she will either admit that or one of her fellow Islanders will guess.
Gemma, a regular at St James' Park when she was just a small toddler as dad Michael played for Newcastle United, was the seventh single to be confirmed for the new series of the hit ITV2 show. In a break with tradition, bosses decided that, rather than send out a list of contestants in one go, they'd drip feed them one by one across Monday, fuelling speculation from fans on who would be going into the villa.
Gemma's inclusion as one of this year's Love Island contestants is sure to raise a few eyebrows, given who her dad is and the fact she's a sporting star in her own right thanks to being a successful international dressage rider. Quizzed on why she's doing Love Island, Gemma, who is also a business owner, added: "I am open to finding love, I’m wanting to have a really fun summer. I was seeing someone and then that didn’t work out so I thought, “Why not?”
READ MORE: Love Island 2022 contestants as new series starts
On the subject of what she'll bring to the Love Island villa, the 19-year-old answered: "I would say I’m fun, flirty and fiery. I think I’m good at giving advice, I’m a good person to talk to, I’m very honest. If I want the same guy, I’d do it but in a nice respectful way.
Given her sporting exploits and the fact her dad was a footballing mega star, Gemma admits she will be competitive if neds be during her time on the show, adding: "Sport has always been a big thing for me and my family. My dad was a professional football player. I’ve competed for Great Britain in dressage since I was 11-years-old. I’ve travelled all across Europe competing in big arenas in big competitions. I would say I’m very competitive.
"When it comes to relationships I will always go for what I want. But at the same time, I’m not going to mess up something for someone who is in a proper relationship or get in the way of a couple if they have a genuine connection. I wouldn’t do anything to another girl that I wouldn’t be happy with them doing to me.
READ NEXT:
*Love Island late arrival Davide sparks villa chaos on first day
*How old is Gemma Owen? Love Island star's age leaves fans gobsmacked
*How long is Love Island on for? Rumours of longer series swirl as ITV2 show returns
*Tasha Ghouri championed for inspiring speech by Love Island stars
