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Former Love Island contestant Olivia Hawkins has claimed that her time on the hit ITV2 show is a major reason she remains single at age 30, admitting she’s never had a boyfriend, and blames the show for shaping how people see her.
Olivia, a former ring girl and actress, made her first appearance on Love Island in 2023 and returned earlier this year for the All Stars edition. Despite two stints in the famous villa, she failed to find lasting love, and now believes the show’s editing painted her as someone she’s not.
Speaking candidly to The Sun, Olivia revealed how being portrayed as the “villain” has had a long-term impact on her dating life.
“I find dating hard because the majority of people I meet have watched Love Island, or know of my character on the show. It’s hard not to be prejudged,” she said.
She explained that the public perception of her as a fiery troublemaker, rather than who she really is, has created a dating barrier.
“I was the villain of the villa. They just saw me as a fiery character,” Olivia shared. “Now I get told I’m quite intimidating. Men don’t approach me because they think I won’t be responsive. But that’s a misconception.”
Despite her glamorous image and no-nonsense attitude on screen, she says the truth couldn’t be more different.
“I’m the most approachable person ever,” she insisted. “Yes, I like the finer things in life, but I provide that for myself. I work hard. I’m not high maintenance, I just know what I want.”
In a more dramatic moment of the interview, Olivia even likened her experience on Love Island to something straight out of a dystopian film.
“It was like The Hunger Games in there,” she joked. “You have to survive.”
Her comments echo a broader conversation about reality TV stars struggling with public perception once they leave the screen. For Olivia, being typecast as “difficult” has meant missing out on genuine opportunities to connect in the real world.
“I find dating hard because most people I meet have watched Love Island or know my character from the show, it’s tough not to be prejudged.” – Credit: instagram.com/livhawkinss
She also noted that fame hasn’t necessarily improved her dating chances. “People either want me for the wrong reasons or they’re too intimidated to say hello,” she added.
Though she remains hopeful about love, Olivia said she's now more focused on personal growth and choosing herself first, even if that means being single for a while longer.
Fans of the show took to social media to praise her honesty, with many commenting that Olivia is “just misunderstood” and deserves a fresh start outside of the reality TV bubble.
