Love Island is back for a brand new season on Monday night – with a brand new villa – but a lot of the pre-series hype has focused on one contestant.
Gemma Owen is following in the footsteps of Dani Dyer by entering the villa while already understanding a bit about life in the limelight, thanks to a famous father.
Gemma is the daughter of former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen.
At 19, she is the youngest contestant on this year’s series. She is an international dressage rider for Great Britain, having competed in the 2021 European Championships, and also owns a beachwear brand.
Speaking about her approach to finding love on the show, Gemma said: “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.”
Here’s what you need to know about Gemma’s famous father, and what he’s said about her appearing on Love Island.
Who is Michael Owen?
Owen is regarded as one of the Premier League’s best ever strikers.
He is best known for his time at Liverpool, where he broke out as a teenager, and for his 10-year England career.
Owen scored 40 times in 89 appearances for the national side. He was just 18 when he made his England debut, and shot to prominence after being selected for the 1998 World Cup.
He scored the equaliser in a group game against Tunisia, making him England’s youngest ever goalscorer in the tournament at the age of 18 years and 190 days.
He later scored a superb individual goal against Argentina in the knockout stages, dribbling from the halfway line before beating goalkeeper Carlos Roa from just outside the penalty area.
Owen went on to become England’s highest-ever scorer in competitive matches – a record that has since been surpassed by Wayne Rooney. He is England’s 11th most-capped player.
At club level, he scored 118 times in 216 appearances for Liverpool, including two late goals in the 2001 FA Cup final. He won the Ballon d’Or that year, and was Liverpool’s top scorer every season from 1997 until 2004, when he left for Real Madrid.
He played just one season in Madrid, before returning to England to join Newcastle United. He also had spells at Manchester United – to the anger of Liverpool fans – and Stoke, before retiring in 2013.
The 42-year-old now works as a broadcaster, often appearing on BT Sport.
What has he said about Gemma going on Love Island?
Owen has admitted his daughter appearing on Love Island is a father’s “worst nightmare”.
He told ITV News: “I have no doubts that she will make us all proud. It’s probably a father’s worst nightmare, but whatever she wants to do you’ve got to be supportive. I’ve heard a lot about it.”
Gemma told the Daily Mail: “He’s very supportive in whatever I decide to do. He didn’t have a massive tantrum or anything like that. He was pretty chilled, he trusts me not to do anything to embarrass him. He took it quite well.”
In her video promo for Love Island, Gemma said there are no pictures of her dad on her Instagram account, as she wants to pave her own way.
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