Olivia Bowen Opens Up About Post-Love Island Mental Health Journey
Olivia Bowen has candidly admitted that she was "lucky to have" her now husband Alex Bowen following her appearance on the hit ITV reality show Love Island. In an exclusive interview with The Mirror, the television personality discussed the crucial role Alex played in protecting her mental health after the intense public scrutiny that came with the programme.
Unexpected Fame and Mental Health Challenges
As an original cast member on season two of Love Island in 2016, Olivia entered the villa as Olivia Buckland, a sales executive from Essex with modest expectations. "It was an early season and after season one nothing really happened. People weren't getting all these deals," Olivia revealed. She anticipated returning to her previous career, even considering selling Land Rovers, rather than pursuing opportunities in television.
"Then it did kick off in season two, so it was a very different reception to come out to than what I expected!" she laughed, acknowledging the sudden shift in her circumstances. This dramatic life change prompted Olivia to emphasize the importance of mental health care for future villa contestants.
The Support System That Made All the Difference
When asked how she maintained her wellbeing during this turbulent period, Olivia pointed directly to her relationship with Alex. "A lot of that was down to Alex... I'm very lucky to have had him to lean on when we came out and he was going through the same thing as me," she explained. "I think it always helped that we had each other and we could speak about everything that we were going through together."
Olivia further elaborated on her support network, stating: "It was a huge life change. Not just lifestyle - my whole life completely did a 180. I have a really strong group of friends too and I have really strong relationships with my family so I'd always you know go to them and look to them for support and advice as well."
From Reality Star to Interior Design Entrepreneur
Despite her public profile, Olivia resists the influencer label that many might apply to her. "I guess if you asked someone who knew of me they'd say I was an influencer but I don't feel like that because I just feel like me," she clarified. "I guess I just feel like I'm a person that people know online. I never really think of myself as an influencer more of like a online pen pal."
This authentic connection with her audience inspired her latest venture: the Interior Design Clinic app. After completing an interior design course during lockdown, Olivia recognized an opportunity to help others transform their living spaces without the prohibitive costs of professional services.
"This basically came about because I studied interior design in lockdown and before that I was just rubbish," she joked. "I always made the wrong decisions, I spent a lot of money making the wrong decisions. I think I painted one of my hallways in one of my old houses about five times within a month because I could never get it right."
Democratizing Interior Design Through Technology
Olivia identified a significant gap in the market for accessible design solutions. "I know that time, money and all different things mean that so many people who want to know about interiors can't find the time, money to do the interior course online," she noted. "The other option is having an interior designer come to your house and do it for you but that is so expensive."
The app addresses this need by allowing users to describe their vision for a room, which then generates a complete design plan with shoppable items. "We came up with the interior design clinic app where you describe what you want and it will come up with your whole design for your room and then you're able to shop the different items that have come up in the image," Olivia explained.
She described the experience as "really amazing fun" and almost "addictive," designed specifically to build confidence in users' design choices. "I became really confident at interior design after my course and always wanted to make other people feel as confident as I was," she added.
The Evolution of Confidence
While Olivia has often been perceived as one of Love Island's most confident personalities, she revealed that this assurance has developed over time. "I do really think it comes with age," she reflected. "When I went into Love Island I had faked it. 'Fake it till you make it', that kind of thing. I really wasn't as confident as people would first think. I had such a confidence issue in school and now I literally don't care but I do think it comes with age."
Olivia concluded with wisdom gained from experience: "I think you always look back in hindsight and wish that you had this kind of mindset when you were younger. But it just doesn't work like that. It takes time. It takes learning yourself."
