Love Island Antigoni's gyrating on screen was hard to watch, say mum and dad

Antigoni Buxton’s father couldn’t bear to watch when his daughter performed a sexy dance on Love Island.

Viewers saw the 26-year-old smooching with Davide Sanclimenti when she and other contestants gave their all in a string of “Heart Rate” routines designed to set pulses racing in the villa.

But Antigoni’s telly chef mum Tonia has revealed it was all a bit too much for her other half.

She said: “My husband Paul didn’t watch the dance. He got up and left.

“He just came back and said, ‘Was she good?’

"We said she was brilliant. He was actually proud that Antigoni is confident and had fun – but he just didn’t exactly want to watch it.”

Antigoni with her mum (Dave Benett/Getty Images for Olumide Galleries Ltd)

Antigoni Buxton and Tonia Buxton (Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Tonia added: “After the challenge, Antigoni went straight to the diary room and said she was worried about us watching.

“I wanted to tell her she was great and that she got her moves from her mumma! I was shouting at the TV,
saying, ‘Don’t worry!’

“I did call the team at Love Island to see if she was OK but they couldn’t pass the message on.”

But Tonia, 54, did sympathise with another celebrity parent – football legend Michael Owen, whose daughter Gemma also performed a routine.

She said: “I did feel sorry for him, more so because Gemma is only 19.

“Whatever is said and done, it’s hard for fathers to watch their daughters gyrate on the lap of another man.” Antigoni was voted off the Island on Friday.

Antigoni Buxton (ITV)

Tonia, who has three other children – sons Zeno and Zephyros, and daughter Sophia, 23 – says she is proud of Antigoni’s time on the ITV2 show but disappointed that viewers didn’t get to hear her eldest daughter sing.

She said: “As parents, she did us proud. She was very true to herself.

“But at home, she never stops singing – when I have meetings I have to tell her to please stop. So it was such a shame we didn’t get to see her sing.

“I know Antigoni. She would have been singing morning, day and night, she can’t help herself.”

Antigoni, who was signed by Island records when she was 14, now manages herself and is set to release a single.

Tonia said: “Whatever happens next, I know she will fly.”