Love Island couple Gemma Owen and Luca Bish have announced on social media that they have made the decision to split up.
19-year-old international dressage rider, fashion business owner, and influencer Gemma Owen – who is the eldest of four children to former Manchester United and England star Michael Owen – famously met 23-year-old former fishmonger Luca Bish on the most-recent series of the hit ITV2 reality show Love Island.
The pair were not initially ‘coupled up’ when the show first started, but hit it off after the first week or so and remained together for the majority of the eight-week series.
Gemma and Luca did not become an official couple until the show had ended.
Taking to Instagram Stories to announce their break-up last night, Gemma – who is now a brand ambassador for Manchester-based fashion brand PrettyLittleThing – told her over 2.1 million followers that herself and Bish are “no longer in a relationship”.
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Love Island’s Gemma Owen and Luca Bish announce they have split up / Credit: Matt Frost (via ITV) & Gemma Owen (via Instagram)
“I wanted to let you know that Luca and I are no longer in a relationship,” she wrote.
“It wasn’t an easy decision but ultimately this is what is best for us both right now. Many of you have been on this journey with us from the very beginning and I want to thank you for your continued support as we start new chapters.”
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Luca also took to Instagram shortly after Gemma to share his own words, and announce the pair had “made the mutual decision to go our separate ways”.
He continued: “Switched my phone back on after taking some time out to clear my head after an emotional afternoon to thousands of messages about my breakup.
“I would like some time to process this privately, but as you all already know, sadly, Gemma and I made the mutual decision earlier today to go our separate ways. We have been on such a journey together and have made some amazing memories which I will treasure. I can’t thank everyone enough for their support for us as a couple during and after Love Island.
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“We will remain good friends and I wish nothing but the best for her.”
The couple were runners-up in the latest series of the ITV reality show / Credit: Luca Bish (via Instagram)
Going through a series of ups and downs during their time in the villa, Gemma and Luca did not make their relationship official while starring on Love Island, but notably remained faithful to each other throughout the series, and during the infamous Casa Amor – where they reunited even after being coupled up with other contestants.
After leaving the villa, Luca asked Gemma to be his girlfriend during, what can only be described as an extravagant and lavish proposal back in August.
Gemma and Luca came runners-up in the latest series of the show, and missed out on winning the £50,000 prize after coming in second to winners and ultimate fan-favourite couple, Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti.
Featured Image – ITV
TV & Showbiz
ITV to launch external review into Phillip Schofield’s controversial This Morning exit
Emily Sergeant
ITV has confirmed that it is commissioning an external review into Phillip Schofield’s controversial departure from This Morning.
It comes after the 61-year-old announced back on 20 May that he was to step down from presenting the ITV daytime show with immediate effect, after first taking over presenting reins in 2002 and fronting the programme for the past 21 years.
Alongside co-presenter Holly Willoughby, Schofield became a well-known face on daytime television and went on to win numerous awards for his presenting work over the past two decades – but rumours began swirling that his professional relationship and off-screen friendship with Willoughby had soured.
Schofield explained that the unconfirmed rift between himself and his co-presenter, as well as the fact “This Morning itself has become the story”, lead to his decision to depart to the show.
Schofield’s stepping down from the presenting role also comes after he had taken several weeks off-air recently – some as pre-planned leave, and some while his brother, Timothy Schofield, faced trial for sexual abuse against a teenage boy.
Phillip Schofield had presented the daytime TV show since 2002 before stepping down / Credit: ITV
Following his already-controversial exit, Schofield then issued a formal statement confirming he had an “unwise but not illegal” relationship with a younger male colleague last Friday, and resigned from ITV all together after admitting to both the affair, and to lying about it.
ITV has now confirmed it has now instructed a barrister to carry out an external review into the situation to “establish the facts”.
Ahead of the broadcaster’s executives appearing before the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committe next week, and being quizzed by MPs over their handling of the situation at This Morning, ITV’s Dame Carolyn McCall said in a letter – as seen by the PA News Agency, and reported by Sky News, BBC News, ITV News, and more – said they are taking the matter “extremely seriously”.
ITV has commissioned an external review into the presenter’s controversial This Morning exit / Credit: ITV
She wrote: “You will have seen the significant media coverage concerning Phillip Schofield [and] as you would expect, we take the matter extremely seriously and have reviewed our own records over the weekend.
“Given the ongoing rumours, we continued to ask questions of both parties, who both continued to deny the rumours, including as recently as this month.
O’Grady was known and loved by British audiences as a comedian, presenter, broadcaster, actor, writer, and the former drag queen Lily Savage.
He was also one of the nation’s most-famous dog lovers and animal rights advocates.
Since O’Grady has passed, more than £300,000 has been raised for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home – which he had been a “devoted” ambassador for and long-time supporter of throughout his life – in his honour, and over 200,000 people signed an online petition for a statue of O’Grady to be permanently erected in his hometown.
Council to vote on awarding Paul O’Grady Freedom of Wirral as a tribute to his legacy / Credit: ITV
But now, coming up to two months following his passing, the Council responsible for O’Grady’s native Birkenhead has revealed the ways in which it is plans to permanently and sufficiently honour his legacy.
Wirral Council is debating whether to posthumously award O’Grady the Freedom of the Borough.
Revealing its plans in a statement today, Wirral Council explained: “Since the sad passing of Birkenhead’s legendary entertainer Paul O’Grady in March, we’ve heard the many asks for us to celebrate his legacy and we agree.
Since the sad passing of Birkenhead's legendary entertainer Paul O'Grady in March, we've heard the many asks for us to celebrate his legacy and we agree.
The first step in doing so will see councillors consider a recommendation to bestow the star – who first found fame as the… pic.twitter.com/Q7Ij2MwfZq
“The first step in doing so will see Councillors consider a recommendation to bestow the star… with the honour of Freedom of the Borough [as] this would recognise his years entertaining the nation, along with his dedicated activism and charity work.
“We are also looking at other ways to pay tribute to the legacy of both Paul and Lily [and] more details will be shared as soon as we have them.”
The Freedom of the Borough is known as the highest award a Council can bestow, and O’Grady’s consideration for this is to be officially discussed at Wirral Council’s Regulatory and General Purposes Committee next week on Wednesday 7 June from 6pm.
Emily Sergeant -
17th November 2022 
