The daughter of former Liverpool and Manchester United footballer Michael Owen has joined Love Island’s team of 2022, and viewers 'felt old' as she revealed her age to her fellow Islanders. The Team BG dressage rider drew gasps from her new friends in the villa in Mallorca when she told them that she's 19.
And viewers watching the launch of the eighth series said they 'felt old' as they tuned in to see singles coupled-up in the sun on the ITV2 dating contest. @katholmes27 tweeted: "Gemma was born in the 2000s, that is not okay."
@RachaelYo said: "Still can’t get over the fact that Gemma has only been able to legally drink for 12 whole months." @liv_liv_liv__ asked: "Gemma turned 19 on May 1st??? she was born in 2003??"
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@iMallyUK said: "Gemma was born in 2003. She was 12 when #LoveIsland premiered. Let that sink in." And @SophiLH_ said in mock outrage: "So Gemma was born in 2002 / 2003?? I’m turning the TV off."
@paulruddTD commented: "Sorry but I can’t let it register that Gemma was born in 2003 sorry no." @escandrew47 said: "Gemma being born in 2003 makes me feel so old."
@EleanorRoscuro commented: "That sense of foreboding across the British Isles when Gemma said she was just 19 years old." And @emmakinlochxx said: "I grew up fancying Gemma’s dad! I officially feel old."
Viewers were waiting to see if Gemma would mention her famous dad after previously she vowed not to brag about him. "I want people to get to know me for me - not just being the daughter of an ex footballer," she said.
"My dad was probably at the end of his career when my ex-boyfriends were born,” she noted. And in her introduction video she joked: "It would be nice if I did score in the villa. See what I did there?"
Viewers were cringing as Gemma, who was coupled up with student Liam Llewellyn, got off to an awkward start with her fellow Islander as she pressed him about being a student and future career plans. And she looked uncomfortable as he told her he wanted to work in football.
@PR33Y4 laughed: "Hahahaha #gemma and #liam #LoveIsland him talking about wanting to work in sports esp football! Wait til he finds out she's #michaelowens daughter! Hahahaha." @nashielouise commented: "Gemma and Liam are giving me second hand embarrassment."
@kay___ldn wrote: "Gemma and liam are not it…" @georgegriffiths observed: "Gemma trying not to tell Liam her dad is Michael Owen." And @SarinaWing said: "Gemma trying not to name drop her dad as soon as Liam mentioned football."
Before entering the villa she said former England striker Michael, 42, was "not 100% happy" with her taking part. And she vowed to avoid "disrespecting or embarrassing" him by having sex on camera on the show set in Mallorca, the Mirror reports.
“They trust me not to do anything to embarrass them, so I don’t think I would have sex in the villa,” she said of her parents, Michael and Louise. “I think what my family think is always going to be in the forefront of my mind because they are the most important thing to me, and the opinion I care about the most.”
Michael hasn’t forbidden her from dating in the villa and her mum’s advice was 'just remember to keep it classy'. “My dad didn’t actually give me that much advice,” she said. “He said: ‘I’m not going to tell you do’s and don’ts - you know how to behave. You just go and do it.’
And Gemma reckons Michael, who was unmasked as Doughnuts on zany ITV singing show The Masked Singer earlier this year, will secretly be pleased if she did bring a player home. “I’m sure if I did actually get with a footballer he’d be quite happy because he’d have something in common with them - I don’t think he’d be annoyed.” she said.
