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
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Will Mellor’s new BBC documentary about real-life Post Office scandal victims airs tonight
Emily Sergeant
A new BBC documentary about real-life victims from the Post Office scandal fronted by Will Mellor is hitting TV screens tonight.
As the country finally starts to wake up to the full scale of the Post Office scandal – which involved the British postal service pursuing thousands of innocent subpostmasters for apparent financial shortfalls caused by faults in an accounting software system between 1999 and 2015 – actor Will Mellor is on a mission to find out what happened to the real-life sub-postmasters in this new BBC documentary.
The Stockport-born actor famously played the part of Lee Castleton in the ITV drama, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, and says he feels a “real affinity” will the families he spoke to for the programme.
For the new documentary and accompanying five-part BBC Sounds podcast series – which is titled Surviving the Post Office – Will actually speaks to Mr Castleton himself, as well as four other affected people and their families whose lives have been “torn apart”.
Will Mellor has fronted a new BBC documentary about real-life Post Office scandal victims / Credit: ITV
Surviving the Post Office ventures to all four corners of England, including East Yorkshire, County Durham, Lincolnshire, West Sussex, and Cornwall, as Will discovers that many of the sub-postmasters want to “take back control of their lives”.
According to the BBC, for some facing the past, that proves to be a “troubling experience”, while for others, it ends up being a “liberating” step forwards.
As well as exploring the financial losses for many, including the people featured in the documentary and podcast series, Will also gets to find out how they are coping with their emotions, trying to move on from the whole ordeal, and how the victims are finding support in unexpected ways.
📢 Actor Will Mellor meets the real-life victims of the Post Office scandal in a brand new documentary from BBC Local
Surviving The Post Office is coming to @BBCOne and @BBCiPlayer tonight at 8.30pm. The podcast series is on @BBCSounds now
“I feel a real affinity with these families, so it was a privilege to hear their stories for this documentary and podcast,” Will said ahead of the documentary airing on BBC One.
“What shocked me the most after meeting so many sub-postmasters is just how far the impact and trauma has spread – the effect it’s had on people’s health, their children, and their whole communities has been massive.”