Michael Owen has broken his silence on daughter Gemma’s first week on Love Island and described the hardest thing to watch – and it wasn’t sharing a bed with Italian stallion Davide.
Speaking before the ITV2 series kicked off, the former sportsman admitted it was 'every father's worst nightmare' to see their teenage daughter head into the infamous villa.
And after watching his 19-year-old brunette bombshell daughter partner swap, bed swap and snog numerous male contestants on the show over the last few days, Michael has not changed his mind.
Describing Gemma as his 'pride and joy', Michael said flatly of her antics over the last few days: "It's not something any father wants to watch, is it?"
But giving his first interview since the show launched on Monday, Michael said the thing he was particularly displeased with was the amount of swearing.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Michael said: “One thing I wasn’t happy about, watching the show, was the amount of swearing — and from Gemma too.
“She said the s**t word (he spells it out), and I was shouting at the screen there. I don’t allow swearing at home.”
The dad-of-four also recalled his shock at seeing his daughter hop into bed with a man on her very first night, before his wife Louise had to explain that was the norm.
He said: “Luckily for me there was no physical contact. Gemma had her back to the guy.
“There was space between them. I thought, 'Good girl'. No father wants to see physical contact do they?
“I certainly don't. If there is physical contact I think I'll be throwing something at the screen. I don't want to see kissing. Do not make me see kissing!” he fumed.
Michael also touched on Gemma’s age, which has been the subject of fierce debate around her appearance after she coupled up with 27-year-old Davide.
He said: “She’s so achingly young though. This is one of the few laments on social media that actually seem to be fair comment.
“Gemma only turned 19 in May. Much of the social media obsession about her has focused on her youth.”
But he also noted that “she has had two years more than I had to get ready for life in the public eye”.
He continued: “She’s a mature 19. She’s a bit like me in that regard. I was playing for Liverpool when I was 17, and having to make friends with 23, 24, 25-year-olds. The bottom line is, she’s an adult and I have to trust her to make sensible decisions.”
