Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Susan Knox

Love Island stars blast 'rude' and 'nasty' Gemma Owen after 'awful' first impressions

Love Island finally made it's return to ITV2 last night with one of the most dramatic debut episodes of all time.

As the new islanders were introduced in the first part of the hotly-anticipated episode, viewers watched in disbelief as host Laura Whitmore announced a major twist which had never been seen before on the show.

Meanwhile, others blasted brunette babe Gemma Owen - who is the daughter of famous footballer Michael Owen - for her 'nasty' attitude and 'attention-seeking habits' as the 19-year-old appeared to get more air-time than the rest of the girls.

As viewers sat down to watch the drama unfold, they were left fuming as TV host Laura told the couples that the format of the pairings had been changed this year - and their fate lay in the hands of the British public instead.

Gemma, Paige, Tasha, Indiyah, and Amber were robbed of their chances to choose the boy they truly wanted to couple-up with - and they made their opinions on the matter clear after they were paired with their respective other halves during a heated chat around the fire-pit.

Former Love Islanders have blasted Gemma Owen's 'nasty attitude' (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

And it wasn't just the girls in the villa who were left unimpressed by the shows major shake-up.

Former Love Island winner Amber Gill, who championed the show alongside ex-boyfriend Greg O'Shea in 2019, hit out at the new format on Twitter.

Addressing the twist, Amber admitted that she would be 'fuming' if her love life lay in the hands of the British public who she dubbed 'bozos'.

"I would be fuming too if someone else chose for me," she tweeted.

Amber hit out at the new format of the show (Instagram)
Former islander Marcel blasted new contestant Gemma Owen (ITV)

"I did 3 interviews telling you my preferences and you let the BOZOS pick," she added.

If that wasn't enough drama for one night, hundreds of fans appeared to turn on Gemma Owen as she continued to brutally 'mug off' her partner Liam throughout the duration of the first episode.

Michael Owen's daughter, 19, was not impressed when she was paired up with the Welsh student - and it showed.

She made her dislike known and, as all of the Islanders played 'truth or dare', Gemma refused to kiss Liam - leading Paige to give him an awkward lap dance so that he didn't feel left out.

Fans insisted Gemma made 'bad first impressions' (ITV)

Earlier, she also mocked Luca's surname - and fans were not impressed.

Among those criticising Gemma was former Islander Marcel Somerville, who tweeted: "Yo can’t lie Gemma’s energy is mad! How she coming across like this on the first day! The rudeness #loveisland."

And fellow former Love Islander Chloe Burrows wrote: "Gemma ur attitude STINKS mate #loveisland."

However, former winner Amber Gill urged fans to cut Gemma 'a break' as she looked back on her own experience on the show.

Gemma kissed bombshell Davide in front of Liam (ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

"Let's cut Gemma a break because you all thought I was a bitch for saying a man didn't suit sunglasses when he didn't," Amber penned.

"I'm a well liked b***h though," she added.

Elsewhere, another viewer tweeted: "Gemma is acting exactly like you’d expect of the 19 year old daughter of a celeb, it’s just not the vibe #LoveIsland."

Ahead of entering the villa, the international dressage rider and business owner, 19, confessed that her famous dad Michael Owen wasn't too pleased about her taking part.

*Love Island returns tomorrow at 9pm on ITV2

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.