Love Island star Olivia Hawkins has spoken for the first time over backlash she received while in the villa. The actress and Michelle Keegan body double was dumped from the ITV2 dating show last week alongside Maxwell Samuda.
Maya Jama jetted back to South Africa to deliver the news following a public vote after the islanders enjoyed a day at the beach club. There was then a big twist as the new couple were tasked with choosing another pairing to leave the villa with them.
Olivia and Maxwell weighed up their options, debating whether to send home Shaq Muhammad, Casey O’Gorman or Keanan Brand from the least popular boys, and Tanya Manhenga, Rosie Seabrook or Claudia Fogarty from the least popular girls. After Maya told to the couple to reveal their decision, Olivia told her fellow islanders: "This has been a really difficult decision for both of us.
"Do you keep a couple in that could potentially rebuild a flame? Do you keep a boy and a girl that haven't had enough time? There’s so many options we could have gone for," she added before revealing they had chosen Claudia and Keanan to leave the villa.
But having faced backlash from viewers whilst appearing on Love Island, Olivia has spoken out after the girls were accused of picking on the boys, saying the scenes were misleading. "It was never about the girls bashing the boys," the 28-year-old told The Sun. "I had many times when I was in tears that wasn’t shown on TV. There were real emotions.
"Maybe it was a case of big personalities clashing, it was so intense and arguments are inevitable when we were in a confined space together 24 hours a day. But it was definitely not a case of toxic femininity. When people meet me they will see the real me, I’m definitely not a villain."
Olivia added: "Now I’m out of the villa I’m looking forward to people seeing my fun side and my big heart. I’m a genuinely lovely person."
The reality star also addressed speculation that she wasn't a real contestant after fans of the show felt she was favoured over other contestants - and was quick to issue a denial. "Apparently my dad is CEO of Love Island. You have to laugh don’t you?" she told the publication. "The truth is I was a real contestant, I was not planted in there for any other ulterior motive.
"I was my real self the whole way through." She also said that she showed her "raw emotions", adding: "I really went through it, even being in six couples. It really did take me steps back. It was hard to deal with. No acting was going on in there, that was my true self."
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