Love Island fans have aired a wild theory surrounding Gemma Owen and her casting in the latest series of the hit ITV2 dating show after her ex Jacques O’Neill entered the villa.
The 19-year-old reality star – who is the daughter of 42-year-old football legend Michael Owen – is one of the original contestants of the 2022 series of the ITV reality romance show.
She was left in shock over the weekend at the arrival of her 23-year-old ex-boyfriend Jacques in the Love Island villa, with cameras capturing her gasp: “That’s my ex!” when the rugby star entered the show.
Afterwards, reports even began to swirl suggesting that Jacques isn’t the only past boyfriend of Gemma’s that will walk through the famous villa doors.
As fans have complained that Love Island appears to be transforming into ‘Gemma Island’, a number of ITV2 viewers have circulated a theory as to why the star is appearing on the show alongside her ex-boyfriend.
Love Island viewers took to Twitter during the latest episode of the show on Monday to suggest that producers wanted to clinch a famous relation on the show after the success of previous winner Dani Dyer, who revealed to fellow Islanders that she is EastEnders star Danny Dyer’s daughter.
One fan theorised: “I have a theory that the Love Island producers made a deal with Gemma to [get] more exposure in order to get a famous footballer's daughter on after the Dani Dyer success.”
They then joked: “Because there must be a reason it's Gemma Island and everyone else is just the staff.”
A fellow Love Island viewer wrote their similar theory: “Love Island producers wanted someone football related so they scouted Gemma, but since she was dating Jacques she declined.
“So the producers told her she could fake it in the villa until they bring him on, and they could “get back together” exposure for everyone, win win.”
This comes as Gemma calls Luca Bish, who she is currently coupled up with on the show, a "p***k" in the first row of the series, a teaser clip revealed.
Things get heated between the pair – and s ome viewers have predicted what could happen on Tuesday night’s episode as the pair come to blows around the fire pit.
There's trouble in paradise ahead of two new arrivals, as the couple clash just days after her ex-boyfriend entered the villa.
While details are being kept under wraps, she admits to a "mistake" and suggests there is "nothing more to it".
It's heavily hinted it is linked to Jacques - or at least that is what Love Island bosses probably want viewers to think, and it might be about something else entirely.
But something has clearly happened between Jacques' arrival and the departure of Afia Tonkmor, and fans are sure they've cracked the case.
Gemma and Luca are still in the outfits from Monday's episode so the drama has to have unfolded soon after the dumping took place.
Viewers think they've already worked out what has happened, taking to Twitter with the repeated theory that she could have called him by Jacques' name.
Love Island airs every night at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub.
