Gemma Owen Love Island: Season, Luca Split & Age Explained

Gemma Owen walked into the Love Island villa in 2022 as a 19-year-old with a famous footballer dad — and left as one of the season’s most talked-about contestants. Her romance with Luca Bish played out on screens for weeks, earning them a runner-up finish and thousands of Ofcom complaints.

Love Island Season: 8 · Entry Day: Day 1 · Final Position: Runner-up · Partner in Final: Luca Bish · Instagram Followers: 1.6M

Which Love Island was Gemma Owen in?

Gemma Owen appeared in Love Island UK Season 8, which premiered in 2022 and aired on ITV2. She was confirmed as a contestant at age 19, making her one of the younger entrants that summer (Hello Rayo). The season relied heavily on public votes to determine initial coupling arrangements.

Season 8 entry details

Gemma entered the villa on Day 1 and was initially coupled with Liam Llewellyn via public vote (Hello Rayo). Meanwhile, Luca Bish was initially paired with Paige Thorne through the same public voting process (The Tab). The dynamics shifted quickly once the islanders had more freedom to explore connections outside the initial pairings.

Are Gemma and Luca still together from Love Island?

No, Gemma Owen and Luca Bish are no longer together. Their relationship ended approximately three months after the Love Island Season 8 finale in August 2022 (Legit.ng). Both have moved on to different relationships, and Luca even returned to the villa for Love Island All Stars in January 2025 seeking love again (The Tab).

Post-show relationship status

In the immediate aftermath of the villa, Gemma and Luca attended the Love Island 2022 Summer Ball together before their split (Hello Rayo). However, they were not officially boyfriend and girlfriend shortly after exiting the villa in August 2022, according to a post-villa interview (YouTube). The ambiguity around their official status made the eventual split announcement less surprising to viewers who had followed their journey closely.

Split timeline

Gemma announced the split on her Instagram Story on November 17, 2022, making her the first to go public with the news (Hello Rayo). Luca responded hours later on his own Instagram Story, claiming the split was mutual (Hello Rayo). Split rumors had circulated in late 2022 before the official announcement (Hello Rayo).

Why did Gemma Owen and Luca split up?

The official explanation from both parties was that the split was mutual, though neither offered extensive detail about the specific reasons for the breakup (The Tab). Luca later attributed the end of their relationship to their youth and the overwhelming pressure that comes with suddenly becoming public figures after leaving the villa (The Tab).

Reasons for breakup

During Love Island All Stars in 2025, Luca opened up about what went wrong, saying: “We were both so young and the pressure after walking out into the crazy world after the villa all got too much” (The Tab). The timing of Gemma’s announcement also surprised Luca — he claimed he would have preferred time to process the breakup privately before it became public (The Tab).

Public statements

Gemma’s announcement on Instagram read: “To all my followers, I wanted to let you know that Luca and I are no longer in a relationship. It wasn’t an easy decision but ultimately this is what is best for us both right now” (Hello Rayo). Luca’s response on his own Story said he had been processing the situation privately after “an emotional afternoon” and thousands of messages about the breakup (Hello Rayo).

How old was Gemma Owen when she went into Love Island?

Gemma Owen was 19 years old when she entered the Love Island villa for Season 8 in 2022 (Hello Rayo). Her age became a recurring point of discussion among viewers, particularly in the context of her relationship with Luca and the intense scrutiny that comes with reality TV fame.

Age at entry

Being 19 in a villa where many contestants were in their mid-to-late twenties meant Gemma often navigated conversations and situations differently than some of her peers. Her relative youth was a factor viewers noted when evaluating her decision-making throughout the season, particularly during challenges that required emotional maturity beyond her years.

Age difference discussions

The age gap between Gemma and Luca — combined with their contrasting backgrounds (Gemma as the daughter of a Premier League footballer versus Luca as a fishmonger by trade (The Tab)) — generated significant online debate. Some viewers questioned whether the relationship was sustainable given these differences, while others defended their connection as genuine.

Did Gemma and Luca make it to the final?

Yes, Gemma Owen and Luca Bish made it to the Love Island Season 8 final and finished as runners-up (Wikipedia). The couple remained coupled throughout the season despite various challenges and controversies, ultimately losing the finale to another pairing from the same season.

Journey to final

Luca recoupled with Gemma on Day 5, shifting from his initial pairing with Paige Thorne (The Tab). From that point, the two stayed together through the various twists and challenges the show threw at them. They faced one of their biggest tests during Movie Night, when Luca was criticized for his reaction to footage showing Gemma dancing with other contestants (Legit.ng).

Final outcome

The couple finished as runners-up in the August 2022 finale (Wikipedia). Their second-place finish came despite Luca’s behavior during the season attracting over 3,000 Ofcom complaints from viewers who perceived his conduct as controlling and misogynistic (The Tab). The negative attention Luca’s actions received undoubtedly impacted how the public voted in the finale.

Timeline

What we know vs what’s still unclear

What people are saying

To all my followers, I wanted to let you know that Luca and I are no longer in a relationship. It wasn’t an easy decision but ultimately this is what is best for us both right now.

— Gemma Owen, Instagram Story announcement (Hello Rayo)

We were both so young and the pressure after walking out into the crazy world after the villa all got too much.

— Luca Bish, Love Island All Stars interview (The Tab)

Switched my phone back on after taking some time out to clear my head after an emotional afternoon to thousands of messages and news articles about my breakup. I would have liked some time to process this privately but as you all already now know sadly Gemma and I made the mutual decision earlier today to go our separate ways.

— Luca Bish, Instagram Story response (Hello Rayo)

What emerges from these statements is a portrait of two young people who struggled under the weight of sudden fame. Luca’s All Stars comments in 2025 offered the clearest window into his perspective: the post-villa world was simply too much pressure for a relationship that began under artificial circumstances.

Bottom line

Gemma Owen’s Love Island journey lasted just months on screen but shaped her public profile in ways she likely didn’t anticipate. Her runner-up finish with Luca Bish, while ending in a split announced via Instagram, gave her a platform that has since grown to 1.6 million followers. The villa creates connections, but the real world tests them in ways that scripted dating shows cannot prepare anyone for.

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