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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Love Island's Gemma Owen 'fuming' at dad over pocket money being stopped 'unfairly'

Gemma Owen may be the daughter of a famous footballer - but that doesn't mean she's been given everything on a plate.

The 19-year-old, who is the daughter of former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen, has been the standout star of the new series of Love Island so far.

Gemma has caused a stir during her first couple of days in the villa and has now coupled up with hunky Italian Davide.

She's now finding fame as an Islander, but Gemma is already an International Dressage Rider and runs her own swimwear business, OG Beachwear.

Despite making her own money, Michael claims his daughter is "fuming" she doesn't get pocket money anymore.

Gemma stopped getting handouts from her parents when she turned 18 - but she has a serious issue with how much her siblings are still getting.

(Instagram)

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Speaking on On Emily Dean's Walking The Dog podcast in April, Gemma said: "Mine started late and stopped. It's not fair, honestly."

Michael, who said his daughter was still "fuming" about the situation, told her: "It stops when you're 18. If you want money so much get out and work. There's a pub down the road - work behind the bar or something."

While Gemma agreed that it's right to stop pocket money when you become an adult, she said the issue was with how her silbings were treated.

"Pocket money only started for me a few years ago. My brother and sisters have had a good few years on me. In that way it's not fair," she exclaimed.

Despairing Michael added: "Nothing is fair in our house. Trying to balance all the kids and the wife is the most impossible job."

Despite the disagreement, Gemma is very appreciative of everything her famous dad has done for her.

Michael gave his daughter a chunk of money for her birthday which she used to invest in her swimwear business - and is finding her own two feet.

Speaking from a parent's point of view, Owen admitted it is difficult to balance being supportive financially and letting Gemma make her own way in life.

Owen on the Newcastle pitch with Gemma in 2005 (Getty Images)

"You want to give your children the best start and best chance," he said. "But you're always wrestling with the fact that if you make it so easy, is she going to learn from any mistakes?

"So you're always wrestling in life with everything like that and not making them spoilt."

From a young age, horses and dressage have been a passion for Gemma, who started riding at the age of just two-years-old and competing across Europe for Great Britain at 11.

"It really has been all my life," she said. "I've never hade a lie in at weekends. Even if I have a night out the day before im always out sorting the horses out in the mornings.

"It's just what you have to do when youre at the top level of your sport. I've always wanted to achieve for myself, stand on my own two feet, be independent, do my own things. That's what's motivated me."

She has been so dedicated that she hasn't never had a lie in - with dad Michael getting his kids up at 7am every day.

"They're just not acceptable in our house. You're up at 7am," he said. "I can't stand people who lie in. Just get out of bed. There's the day ahead of you."

The fashion entrepreneur doesn't want to live in her father's shadow - and Love Island looks to be the ideal opportunity to thrust her into the limelight.

"I want to be something myself, achieve my own goals," confessed Gemma, who admits she doesn't have a lot of friends because of trust issues.

"I've always had a really small circle. I don't trust people that easily. I have a bit of a wall up when you first get to know me. I think that comes from people having opinions before they've met me.

"I do really like to keep my circle small and have a handful of friends I can trust with everything rather than loads on a surface level."

It's unknown whether Michael was watching his daughter enter the villa as he left the country ahead of England's match against Germany on Tuesday night - but he did previously admit he's living "every father's 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.

"I think old, grumpy men like me will always have an opinion on it because I don’t watch it and you just hear snippets, but she assures me it’s not as bad as I think," Michael added.

"It's quite a big thing and whatever she wants to do, you have to be supportive and I think I've given her a decent enough grounding to be respectful".

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