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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Robert Dex

Piers Morgan has sympathy for Michael Owen after daughter Gemma’s Love Island debut

Love Island fans were not impressed with Gemma Owen after the show’s new series launch episode

(Picture: ITV2)

Piers Morgan said Love Island is so “moronic” it made him feel sorry for former footballer Michael Owen whose daughter Gemma, is among the contestants.

The broadcaster said watching 13 minutes of the reality show was “the longest 780 seconds of my life”.

Writing in his column in The Sun, he said: “I accidentally stumbled across television’s most moronic show and found myself so transfixed by the horrifying imbecility on my screen that I was unable to switch away from it for 13 minutes.”

Describing how one contestant, Welsh fitness instructor Liam Llewellyn, got confused thinking Elton John was actually two seperate people, he added: “He later asked how grapes turn into raisins and thought equestrian Gemma Owen – daughter of ex England footballer Michael, who has my deepest sympathy for having to endure his teenage girl participating in this ritual humiliation - keeps her 12 horses inside her house.”

It emerged later Owen could be be reunited with her ex - professional rugby player Jacques O’Neill - who is expected to appear on the dating show after his club released him from his contract to allow him to “pursue another opportunity”.

The Castleford Tigers confirmed the release of hooker O’Neill on Friday but said they have the first option to re-sign him if he wants to resume his rugby league career.

The Super League club said in a statement: “Castleford Tigers can confirm that the club has agreed to release Jacques O’Neill from his contract to allow him to pursue another opportunity.

“Known for a fearless attitude on the field by Castleford supporters, the Cumbrian-born 23-year-old is a proud product of the Tigers’ youth system having come through both our scholarship and academy programmes before making his Super League debut.

“Castleford Tigers would like to wish Jacques well with his new opportunity and thank him for his efforts as a Tiger so far.”

Castleford media and marketing manager Tom McGuire also hinted strongly that O’Neill was preparing to head into the Love Island villa in Majorca.

He tweeted: “Some boy about to enter a certain villa.”

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