Olivia Bowen, who rose to fame on the second series of Love Island a decade ago, has spoken candidly about her journey from a skeptic of love to a happily married mother of two. Now living in a new Spanish villa, she reflects on her past, her relationship with husband Alex Bowen, and the trauma of experiencing Vanishing Twin Syndrome during her pregnancy with daughter Siena.
From Reality TV to Real Life
Olivia admits she never believed in love when she entered the Love Island villa in 2016. 'I didn't believe in love back then. I didn't believe in finding ‘the one.’ I didn't believe in getting married,' she said. Having been cheated on multiple times in past relationships, she was terrified that history would repeat itself with Alex. 'When I met him, that was one of my biggest fears – that history would repeat itself,' she explained.
Pressure and Control
The pressure surrounding marriage and motherhood initially made Olivia resistant. 'The more people said it, the more I’d be like, ‘No, I don’t want it.’ I’m a bit of a control freak,' she said. She also highlighted the insensitivity of asking about pregnancy, noting that many friends have struggled with infertility or loss. 'I think we have to start making people realise that it’s not OK to keep asking, because so many people are dealing with a lot of trauma surrounding that,' she added.
Vanishing Twin Syndrome and Grief
During her pregnancy with Siena, now 10 months old, Olivia experienced Vanishing Twin Syndrome, where one of her unborn twins was lost. She discusses this in her new book, 'Lost Until Love.' 'The grief is so hard. And people deal with it in different ways,' she said. Initially, she struggled to talk to Alex about it. 'It took me a couple of weeks to even speak to Alex about it. We dealt with it in a very different way to each other,' she recalled. However, the response from fans has reassured her that sharing was the right decision.
Book and Relationship Insights
Olivia’s book includes a conversation between her and Alex, offering fans a light-hearted break from heavier topics. 'There’s a lot of heavy stuff in the book, and I didn’t want it to all be too heavy. Alex and I... well, we just bounce off each other and it’s fun,' she said.
Childhood and Motherhood
Olivia opens up about her own difficult childhood, including her parents’ divorce and a 'fractured' relationship with her father, which later healed. She also struggled with eating habits and peer pressure at school, followed by depression and anxiety. Now a mother, she is determined not to let her past affect her children. 'You have to fill up your own cup, and you have to do things for yourself. I had to take myself to therapy, and in turn, my children get the best version of me,' she said.
Hope for Others
Olivia hopes her book can help others facing hardships. 'I don’t have it all figured out. No way. But what I have learnt has positively impacted my life and helped me deal with things better than I did as a teenager or as a young woman,' she said. 'I hope that everyone can give themselves the time and the grace to learn from those lessons, and move on.'
