Swimwear designer Gemma Owen set for Love Island

Gemma Owen, 19, admitted she is very competitive, not only because her father was a professional footballer, but also as she has competed for Great Britain in dressage since she was aged 11. 

The international dressage rider and business owner said: “I will always go for what I want. But, at the same time, I’m not going to mess up something for someone who is in a proper relationship or get in the way of a couple if they have a genuine connection.

“I wouldn’t do anything to another girl that I wouldn’t be happy with them doing to me.”

Michael was born in Chester, attended Hawarden High School, and was selected for the Deeside Area Primary School's Under-11 team aged eight.

He also owns Manor House Stables is set in 160 acres in Malpas. The stables were converted from a cattle barn by Michael and his wife Louise, before commencing business in 2007 as a training yard with 30 horses.

But Gemma explained that she decided to follow a career in fashion rather than sport.

Earlier this year, Gemma launched her own range of swimwear.

And, for her new venture, she took to Instagram to model some of the designs herself.

Then Gemma said: "My new brand OG Beachwear is officially live! People that know me will know that this has been a dream of mine for a long time and It feels amazing to have it finally up and running! 

She added: "I have always been ambitious and from a very young age I have represented Great Britain in their equestrian dressage teams with the unwavering support from my parents, particularly my mother and best friend, Louise.

"Up until recent years I believed that was the career path for me but as much as I love my sport and have dedicated many years to it, upon leaving education I decided to take a different career path. My other passions are travel and fashion and that is how the dream of having my own swimwear label was born.

"After studying business and researching the swimwear fashion industry and what it would take to develop a swimwear collection, in 2020 I decided to go for it. For the following year, during the height of the global pandemic, I planned and developed the idea and OG Beachwear was created."

Meanwhile, a dancer who has a cochlear implant is also among the newly-announced Love Island line-up, which also includes a paramedic, a senior microbiologist and a hotel waitress. 

Tasha Ghouri, from Thirsk, North Yorkshire, said she is heading into the villa to find “the one” as she feels her dating life is a “shambles”. 

She will join the new crop of contestants when the popular ITV2 series returns on June 6 at 9pm.

The 23-year-old, who also models, said her family and friends would describe her as a “party animal” as she gets wild on a night out, but feels she also inspires others as she is open about her hearing challenges and her cochlear implant.

She also admitted that although she is a “girls’ girl” she is willing to step on some toes “in the nicest way possible” in her quest to find a man. 

Another contestant for the 2022 line-up is Davide Sanclimenti, 27, from Rome, who said he is going to bring his “Italian charm” to the villa.

The business owner, who now lives in Manchester, said: “I’m good-looking and I’ve realised, since I first arrived in Manchester, a lot of English girls actually love me.

They love to be around me and I love to be around them.” 

He added: “I want to find my soulmate, find my person so I can actually build something in the future, grow with them, be a family.”

They are joined by Indiyah Polack, 23, who said she is going to bring “a lot of flavour and vibrancy” to the show. 

The London-based hotel waitress added: “I feel like I’m quite a down-to-earth person, so it shouldn’t be an issue to meet a lover or a friend.”

Also hoping to find love in the villa this year is senior microbiologist Dami Hope, who is taking part because he wants to be “more open to new things”. 

The 26-year-old, from Dublin, said: “Love Island is a different experience. I will be talking to different girls, it might not go well with some, might go well with others, so it’s a fun experience.”

Paramedic Paige Thorne, 24, said she has joined the show because she has struggled to find a partner in her hometown of Swansea in South Wales. 

“I need to break out and broaden my horizons, and Love Island just brings everyone together for me,” she said.

Fellow Welsh contestant Liam Llewellyn, 22, from Newport, revealed he is quite emotional and will wear his “heart on his sleeve” during the reality series. 

The masters student in strength and conditioning said he likes to impress someone he is interested in with a compliment like “Your eyes are piercing, I’m lost in your eyes” or “You’ve got nice feet”.

This year the contestants will enter a new villa in Majorca as the previous property near Sant Llorenc des Cardassar, in the east of the Spanish island, has reportedly become unavailable for the forthcoming series.

Laura Whitmore will return as host when the series starts on Monday June 6 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITV Hub.