Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Olivia Bowen (Part One)

Episode Date: March 18, 2025

Join us in Essex with the fabulous television personality Olivia Bowen and her Frenchie, Winnie! Olivia first shot to fame on the second series of ITV’s Love Island - where she met her now husband Alex. She and Alex have a lovely little boy called Abel, and they are currently expecting another little girl! Olivia very kindly welcomed us into her beautiful home - and then we headed out onto the rolling hills just beyond her gate. We spoke about the restorative power of horse riding, how she was a socially aware child who predicted her parents’ divorce, and how she went from selling pens and living in government-owned housing to gaining millions of followers after appearing on one of the country’s most popular reality shows. Follow @oliviadbowen on Instagram Follow @thebowenhome on InstagramFollow Emily: Instagram - @emilyrebeccadeanX - @divine_miss_emWalking The Dog is produced by Faye LawrenceMusic: Rich Jarman Artwork: Alice LudlamPhotography: Karla Gowlett  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Like, imagine you're 22, you've not really got much going for you, you're not really doing anything. And then someone offers you six weeks in the sun in the villa with hot guys. Like, who's going to say no? This week on Walking the Dog, I went for a stroll in the Essex countryside with former Love Island star influencer and owner of a booming property and interiors business, Olivia Bowen and her adorable Frenchie Winnie. I actually left Ray at home for this one, mainly because Winnie can be a bit nervous

around other dogs. So Olivia is officially a Love Island rarity because not only did her relationship with Alex endure well beyond the show. They've now been blissfully married for over six years, have a little boy called Abel and a second child on the way. And this all came about after her deciding to enter Love Island basically for a bit of a laugh. I had very good vibes about Olivia as soon as I arrived at her house, which as you'd expect from an interior designer is ridiculously beautiful. She was so genuine and warm and friendly, as was Alex, who we also chatted to briefly before he popped out for a round of golf. Olivia and I had the loveliest stroll chatting about this mask of confidence she wore growing up in order to hide her shyness and anxiety,

the life-changing decision she made to enter Love Island and the impact of all that overnight fame. And the very astute business brain she clearly has, which has allowed her to build an enormously successful career well beyond that show. As you may have worked out already, I absolutely loved Olivia and Winnie is too cute for words. So if they'll have us, Raymond and I plan to move in with immediate effect. And just FYI, Olivia, Raymond prefers Egyptian cotton sheets. Really hope you enjoy our walk. Here's Olivia and Winnie. Right, Winnie, are you going to come walking? She looks really, like really up for it right now. Can you explain when he is currently lying on it's it looks like a sort of Game of Thrones bedroom blanket. She's sassy isn't she any blanket or if you

sit down like she immediately has to be on you she's so cuddly she gets annoyed at me when I'm like pottering around doing jobs like laundry and things she gets annoyed that I've not sat down for a cuddle she's like she stands next to me like for God's sake woman sit down Look at her teeth When Olivia said look at her teeth She wasn't talking about me No Look at my dog's gaffy teeth

Let's go find Let me just find her harness And I'll stick it on Look at the way she's following you around Olivia She doesn't like She doesn't stop She's so

Like thinks that I'm the leader of her pack I get the impression You are the leader of this pack Well I would say that I think Alex would also agree with you Would he? Yeah.

I run the show, don't I, Winnie? Is it cold outside? I would describe it as a little bit fresh. A little bit fresh. She normally has like this little furry jacket. Look at this. It matches my horse's one. It's like a little Kentucky furry jacket,

but it's so big for her. She looks hilarious. Are you going to put your little coach on, darling? You probably won't be cold, we'll be. you. She's ever so good nature, Olivia. Yeah, she's sweet isn't she? Like you when I had able, I was

so worried about what the dogs would be like with him. This is your little boy, isn't it? How old is he now? He's two and a half. So I always, oh my God, don't mind my jeans. I've literally got them together with a hairband but they zip doesn't even

feel up. So just if my jumper rides up, please tell me because I'll be flashing belly Mostly Yeah so when I had Able He's two and a half now But when I had him Like Reggie and Winnie were both Just my world

As they are when you have dogs And I was so worried that They would just not take to Able But they were so obsessed Reggie was obsessed Winnie will let him climb all over her And they snuggled together He has this thing about ears

So Abel's always played with my ears when he's drinking milk when he was little. And he still does it sometimes now, obviously he's older, but he plays with her ear, the same as he plays with mine. So he'll sit there, like, rubbing her ear, is the cutest thing. And where she's got a little floppy ear now, he's always like, Mommy, Winnie's ear is poorly. I'm like, no, it's okay.

It just flops down now. But no, they're like best of friends. Oh, that's so lovely, isn't it? I have to say, we're in Olivia's house right now, and I'm feeling a lot of house envy. Oh, no, honestly. It's normally so messy as well. This is like part messy. That's making me feel worse.

This is literally like Soho Farmhouse. Do you know what? My manager said that to me. I was like, that's probably the biggest compliment I could ever get. And it smells divine. Is it dip teak you're wearing? I'm not hitting on you, by the way. I've got Penn Halligans on at the way.

moment. Kero? It's really nice. Look at you with your pen halligan. Sorry. I remember the days when you were selling pens. I do too. They won't leave me. Sadly. Bye Alex. Right. I don't know where he is. Is Alex in? Al! It'll be sleeping. We don't want to disturb him on the toilet. Why do they spend so long on the toilet? I don't know. What's that? I've left my trainers there. Yeah, I feel like boots might be a better option. I'm going to keep my trainers here and walk and get my boot. Yeah, do you know what? I'm actually going to do the same because...

Why don't we do that? She's going to our socks. Yeah, shut. It's the Lydia Pavan and I walking outside her beautiful house. In our socks. We're sick wellies on. Oh, we should really bring you a poo bag. Oh, I'm all right, actually.

I went earlier. I feel like this is going to be fun. Are you ready? We've got boots. This is when I, I've got my riding boots from when I, I didn't know you rode. I briefly got massively into it. And do you know what it was? They're lovely they are, aren't they?

Well, it was after, I went in, I tell you when I got into it, I feel all the type I can be very honest with. But I had a couple of, like, bereavements that my sister had died, and then my parents died. I'm so sorry. And sometimes, something like riding is such a good thing to do. Like, do you know what I mean? It really is. I always say to Alex, it's the only thing I can do where my mind can't concentrate on anything but my horse, because she's. She will try and kill me.

So I have to be so with her, otherwise, you can't let your mind wander. I explained it to people that way. I said, I almost think, because it was only after I started doing it that people said, you know it's an extreme sport and it's like more dangerous. It's really annoying though, because people don't understand how difficult it is and how like you get out of breath and that, but it looks like it's not. But I think that's, I think you've absolutely nailed it. Why for that period of time?

I haven't been in a while, but why? It was so helpful. to me was because I thought, oh, I'm so focused on being on this animal, which is going at tremendous speed and could kill me in an instant. Or leave me in a spinal injuries unit

that it's allowing me to park just for one moment. I cannot think about my grief. We are walking past. We've got to start headed out on our walk, by the way. This is construction. Oh, yes, so sorry. Going on next to...

My house. Olivia and Alex's beautiful house. So these are like golden brick plots. So basically the developer sells you the plot and then you can either design your own house on the plot or they'll give you a design. So that's why they're all different. But our house, we sort of jumped in halfway through.

They'd half built it and then someone dropped out. So this is somewhere we always wanted to live. I grew up here. And this is sort of, we're like to say, we're sort of Essex area, aren't we? Yeah, near Stansett Airport. But it's proper country. Yeah, so we did consider moving into London at one point, but honestly, I'm a country girl at heart.

Are you? I just love open space. I get quite bad social anxiety, so, like, I just need my space. And like you were saying about the horses, whenever I go to see her, it's like, honestly, having this little tranquil place with... They're just so accepting. And every time I've had, like, a bad time, especially recently, with the baby loss and things, every time I felt like I can't cope I go to her, I go to Dolly

and she just makes me feel so much better That's your horse Yeah, Dolly is my horse, yeah We're crossing the road Go, go, go Come on Winnie, good girl So Olivia, how old is Winnie now? So Winnie is six

We got her, we got married In 2018, me and Alex I know you got married Did you watch? What? And then I can't remember how we found her, but who we had before, Reggie, who we had first. You're going to poo here, aren't you?

You always do it here. You just can't wait until we get to the field. And these poor people have cameras. And they're going to, oh, this is a really large bag. Oh, Olivia, that's an impressive poo. Is it? She goes quite big, doesn't you? I've never seen a French do one like that.

Or she can poo for England, this one. I bring out poo bags. Your bags are like, I use those in my... These are food bin bags. I don't have any others. This is an exclusive. Olivia Bowen. Her dog poos are so massive that she has to use refuse sacks.

25 litre. 25 litre poo bags. I love how I've got to do this podcast now with a bag of poo in my hand. Don't you find it embarrassing? Sometimes I forget I'm holding poo. Oh no, you're swinging it around. And I'm swinging it around and a few times, you know, in the park when sometimes quite an attractive man will come up and say, oh, what's yours called? Like some handsome man with a baseball cap and a Frenchie.

And I'll say, yeah, this is Raymond. And then he'll go, oh. Go ahead to shake his hand and you're like, hello. I'm going to be getting on now. And I'm shouting back, it's not me that smells of poo. Oh dear. Right, when you, your poo interrupt, we're going to go this way. Let's go this way.

So, you were telling me? Yes, so we got Reggie first and that was when we first came out of Love Island which was 2016 and then we just felt like he was really lonely because he, as a French bulldog they do get separation anxiety so we thought, I know, let's get another one.

And then we found her but she's actually related to Reggie so they're half brother and half sister. Did she, because you know my dog Raymond he is the brother of Catherine Ryan's dog. Oh, stop. And did you know this when you got him? No, and I knew Catherine. And then we found out, and we introduced them thinking this is going to be special.

Would they know? They really got on with each other. That's cute. But I don't know if they, dogs don't recognise sibling relationships. Oh, they don't. What were they like with each other when they met, Reggie and Winnie? Oh, I have to show you a picture when we get back. Oh, good girl.

Because she was such a cute little puppy, and Reggie was so acceptable. of her, we're just going to go across here. She would jump all over him and bite his little ears and all sorts. Oh. And he just didn't care. Like he just let her and he was so loving towards her. She's just very, she was very playful. She still is when she wants to be.

But he was just so great with her. So we were a little bit worried because they can be quite standoffish as a breed. But no, they just loved each other. And then obviously it was more to feel. mortifying when we lost him. It's about seven, eight months ago now. Oh, I'm so sad you went through that. Because obviously, she's only ever known life with him. Yeah. So to lose her half-brother, it was just horrible, but he just really wasn't very well. Yeah. He had all the problems that Frenchies have. He had them all. Like, he just, yeah.

Yeah. And actually, when we bought Reggie, we were quite naive to everything that they go through. But he ended up having that by, by, surgery which is the obstructive airway surgery and then he just struggled with his hips and his legs and was in so much pain and you know the kind of thing we could do was like let him be at peace but I don't think I would get another French bulldog I'm pretty certain that I want to rescue next yeah yeah just I think when you get older and you just realize more what's going on in the world and especially with breeds and breeders and certain...

I think to be fair, Olivia, there's only, it's only fairly recently that a lot of that stuff about certain breeds and has come to light, you know, I think we just didn't know. No, there's so much like work to be done with rescue and try not to exploit dogs and their breeds just for popularity.

So if I can support that in any way, then the best place and best ways for me to do it is a rescue. I agree with you, but you know what I think is interesting? There has become this slight tendency for people to sort of like I've seen people go up to people and say Is that a rescue dog? Yeah. In a very aggressive way and I think, I don't know, I suppose again,

I think it's interesting that we don't go up to mothers and say, is your child adopted? Yeah, it's so true. Because I think, well, there were just as many orphans in the world. So true. And I don't know, I would, I think you're right. It's absolutely fine to say, well, look, I want to do this, but are not imposed that.

Yeah. I think it's all about like, recognising responsible breeding if you are going to go down that route. But yeah, for me, I think because of having a French bulldog, like I feel like it's my responsibility. I don't know, maybe I feel guilty because I sort of played into the breed at the point where it got so popular. Right. You can see our house from here. It is so beautiful here, Olivia.

And this is a proper... Oh, another one. I don't have another bag. Do you have another refuse sack? You've used all my pee bags? That's alright, that's not on the path, we're fine. Don't worry, there's a bulldozer in there. I'm sure they'll let us borrow it until when he's done a shit.

Well, on the way back, I'll kick it into the field. This is stunning, isn't it? Yeah, it's nice. This is why I love this area because you've got a little town and pubs and restaurants, but it is surrounded by countryside. Yeah. But annoyingly, they want to build on here. No, we must stop them.

I know. But then I can't really say anything because they've built there. I mean, I was part of that as well. but it is nice, it's quiet. You grew up, as you say, this was your manor growing up. Yeah. And you lived with your mum and dad, and then your parents split up when you were about 11 or something.

Yeah. We had such a nice childhood, honestly, like, so grateful to my parents for our childhood. It was a proper classic, like 90s, 2000s childhood, play outside, and all of that jazz. And it was just, I was such a tomboy. as a kid. I had three boy cousins and a brother, so you can imagine I just got right stuck in.

And it's such a nice place to grow up because it is quiet and it was a lot of just outdoor all the time. Look at Winnie stalking the crow. I know. This is what she's like with other dogs though. Really? So you see what she did there

where she puts her head down and crawls over? That's what she does to dogs. Because we should say, I decided not to bring Ray today, partly because he's just a bit tired and he fancied a little lion. But I know, sometimes with Winnie, you just need to, you never know with dogs, do you, where they're going to get on and...

She would love... Yeah, she would love him off the lead. Yeah. But I can't trust her off the lead because I don't have a big enough block of cheese to get her back. She just, she would be gone. So yeah, she is better on her own. So tell me, um, you're, what did your parents do? Workwise.

Yeah. I don't know. No. I don't know what my friends do for work. Your parents, because I've seen him in your reality, they're both very good-looking and sort of young and glamour or something. Oh, my dad would love to hear that. I think your dad's quite hot, actually.

I'm not going on. Oh, my God, don't. He will be in your DMs, I swear, is a nightmare. No, he, um, my dad's always been that, like, really cool, fun parent. Like, we go out together now. We can enjoy drink together. we're like best friends now but he

he works now as a catering manager but I'm not sure what he used to my mum used to work in London five days a week what did she do? She worked in social housing yeah and she in London so I mean it was quite a stressful stressful

job bless her she worked so hard for us they split up as I say but did that feel like an inevitability because some kids say didn't see it coming some kids say yeah it sort of makes sense that that wouldn't have lasted. I was quite a socially aware child.

Yeah. And I enjoyed adult conversation more than child conversation when I got probably to about 10. So when they split up, it really was no surprise to me. And I actually completely understood why, and I was never really upset, whether that was like a coping mechanism or not, I don't know. But I never cried.

I was never bothered. I just was kind of happy that they would be happier. I remember seeing them wear pyjamas together in bed. And I thought, oh, I bet they're going to, I bet. I just, they would always sleep in the nude. And I thought, when they're wearing pajamas, that's it. Like I just, you know when something, like I saw that situation and just knew? And then, yeah, I think it was like a couple of weeks later, they told us.

Isn't that fascinating, Olivia? That one, it just shows you how much, and you must be aware of this as apparent now, how much children absorb and pick up on, you know? Yeah, well, this is the thing, and that's why sometimes I'm so worried about arguing in front of Abel because you just think, oh God, what are you going to pick up and what are you going to think and what are you going to learn? Like, you're responsible for that little person

and the way their brains being put together. It's a lot. It's a big responsibility, but my parents were so loving and we had the best relationship regardless of whether they were together or not. Obviously, we had tough times too. I was not the easiest teenager, I won't lie. I was a bit of a nightmare. Why were you a nightmare?

I mean, my mum the other day, I actually said to us, I'm so sorry for how, I think when you have a child, you realize how much your mum sacrificed for you. And I sort of, from the point I had able, I sort of thought to myself, Jesus Christ, my mum did so much for us, and she always put herself after us. And I just said to her, I was like, I'm so sorry if I was ever like horrible. Because you are as a teenager, the hormones are raging.

She said, no, you were fine. You weren't that bad. But I just remember being a bit of a one, like going out all the time. And just a girl, you know, just having a difficult teenage girl. Upbring, like, I just think I was a bit difficult. But maybe that's me just feeling a bit guilty. But I then had a really horrible boyfriend from about 19. and I moved out to his when I was about 20.

He ended up cheating on me constantly and I didn't really know for a while. And I found out and obviously he had to move out of his but my mum had my brother in her house so I couldn't go back to my mum's. So my grandma actually took me in for three months and then I had to move out on my own at 21. So I ended up living in government housing at 21 on my own

because my boyfriend cheated on me and it forced me to move out and grow up really but definitely don't regret that situation I think everything makes you that's very young to be living independently like that way isn't it yeah

kids don't really move out nowadays and do you think it was looking back was it just becoming too difficult for your mum having you at home back then I wanted to move in with my boyfriend

I was very like just wanted to be an adult, realised now it's a trap, but I wanted to be grown up, I wanted to move out, wanted to do my own thing, I was really independent. And then they moved and my brother was there, so there was no space for me, so it wasn't her fault, she just couldn't have me, like they just didn't have any room. Yeah. My grandma, who was, again, like someone who looked after me so much during my childhood, like an absolute angel of a woman, she took me in when I was, yeah, like 20 odd, and then I just couldn't stay at. hers. It just didn't work being that age and living with my grandparents. Yeah. So I moved out. We found somewhere in Braintree, which is like a little flat,

a government-owned flat, I moved into for like six months. And then I went on Love Island. And it all changed completely. I want to get onto Love Island. Yeah. You can't not, can you? Well, you can't not. Well, you can't not, presumably. No. It changed my life, completely. Did it? Yeah. Well, like I said, I said, I. So I was living in that flat on my own, like just split up for my boyfriend, definitely was using alcohol as a coping mechanism, out all the time, hated my job. Don't eat that. He hated my job. And then I remember watching the first series of Love Island with the boyfriend that cheated on me with everyone under the sun.

And I thought, oh my God, I'd love to go on that just to show him, like, that I'm worth, like, I'm worth something. It was more of like a trying to get back at him for the start. So it was a revenge booking? Basically. But I never thought in a million years I would because I didn't have any followers. I was very under the radar. I just wasn't what I thought Love Island would want. I turned up in my black air forces.

I hadn't brushed my hair. I was very laid back. And then, yeah, I went for the interview because I thought, you know what? Like, F it. I'm just going to try. I'm just going to. try and like see what happens. It's just a story to tell. And then, yeah, I had the interview.

They called me back the day after, said that the commissioners wanted to meet me. So I went and met like top dogs three days later and then they wanted me on it straight away. And I was like, what has just happened? It doesn't happen to people like me. But do you think, looking back at, say, when you're at school, come on. Would you have been seen as, Would that have surprised your schoolmates? Probably not. Yeah. Oh, here we go.

Probably not. Why not? I was quite popular in school. Like, had a good group of friends. Would probably be a class of a bit of a bitch in school, to be honest. But I hid a lot in school. I was actually probably already depressed and socially anxious in school. But I wouldn't ever let that show.

I'd be more inclined to go the opposite way and try and fake. a lot of stuff and fake my personality. Why do you think you would have been thought was a bitch? Because I was hiding a lot of like stuff. I would never eat in school. I couldn't eat in front of people.

I was a bit, yeah, had a lot of anxiety issues. I think I was just overcompensating and hiding that. And I was very fake, fake confident, I think. So I think that's why people would say it. But I remember a lot of the days running into the bathroom,

crying and just sitting there as a teenager. I was a bit, yeah, had a lot of emotion, like hidden, I think as a teenager. I think we do. It's so fascinating, Olivia, isn't it? I'm just going to walk this way. Yeah, let's avoid. Winnie. Oh dear, she spotted the other dog. Come on. Winnie. Winnie, come here. You come with us, good girl. Yes, you're good girl. Listen, we're not going to go near those dogs. Come yes. She's not friendly. She's not friendly just so you know. Sorry. I'll let you go past. Sorry, I'm not very friendly. Imagine if you said that about fans. Honestly, if you're walking to the point,

you're sorry, just so you know, she's not very... She's actually a bit of a bitch. She's not friendly and she's a bitch. We're a bad combination. Oh, look, these are cute. I know. I wish that you could go and say hi, but you just can't. We've just seen two lovely doggies who, honestly, it's like the horse of the year.

Good girl. I know, look at that one stridey crofts. Aren't they beautiful? Crofts? Yeah, like craft dogs. That's what looks like a poodle. Is that a poodle? That's a cocapooh. Cokerpooh beautiful. And what's the first dog?

They're so well behaved. I'm so jealous. Go on baby. Come on. You're being good to be fair. You've not screamed. Winnie, when she sees other dogs, there's a fabulous sort of slump drop. Oh, you might get it. You might get the... Oh, there it is. What does that mean, Olivia? I don't know. I think she's quite protective of me. She's well. when she's with Abel, which is kind of sweet in a way.

But I do think she feels a little anxious being restricted because if she was off the lead, honestly, she'd love them. I'm really interested, you were saying, and I just find that so fascinating that... Good girl. It's helpful that story, because I think what it reminds us of is how sometimes people we perceive to be... What you were saying, maybe it sounds like you had a sort of...

You'd built up a kind of slightly brittle defensiveness. For sure. And I think I did that when I was a kid as well. Elfany is just always masking vulnerability. I think you kind of, especially like in our era as well, and as a teenager, you sort of taught that your emotions shouldn't be shown. I mean, that's definitely how I felt, especially like as a woman, it was like, you know, don't be too emotional or they'll think you're weak or don't be too strong or they'll think

you're a bitch or it's always been that way and it still kind of is. Well, it's the Spice Girls archetypes That actually in some sense It's like, well you've got to be all those women Yeah, 100% You know, you've got to be scary in the bedroom Yeah Baby in the kitchen

Do you know what I mean? I'm just a baby That's all I am, I'm just a baby But yeah So I would say that people maybe wouldn't be shocked But Love Island Were you seen as pretty, do you think? I guess so

It's hard to answer that isn't it? Yeah, it feels a bit like I mean I did did win the award for Prittus Girl, I won't lie, I've still got it. Winnie don't because you're going to scratch yourself. I've still got the award in my closet somewhere, holding on to it for when I'm 80 to prove to everyone at the old people's home that I was fit once upon a time.

So going into Love Island, did you feel, because I presume you would have to feel relatively physically confident to even enter that show. You felt okay about yourself, you know, as far as women can feel good about themselves. For sure. Like I knew I had a, you know, what society would deem was a good body, and I knew like I was all right looking, and I had a bit of, you know, attitude.

So I thought I'd be all right, but I've already suffered from depression and anxiety when I went in, and I was already medicated for that. So it was all, like I said, it's all very front. It's all a lot of front, like, you kind of fake confidence until you have it, and I've always been like that. And I don't think it's a bad thing. But I loved Love Island and I know, you know, sometimes it can get a bad rap and it's a difficult place for a lot of people you'd assume. But for me, like it literally made me.

I got so much confidence. I went through so much in there that it just showed me how strong I could be, I think. And obviously meeting Alex. It worked. We were so invested in that love story. Oh, did you see it? I mean, feel bad for you if you watched it. But come on, let's see it.

didn't see it because it feels like that particular year you went in. Am I like thinking it was 2016? Yeah. Nearly 10 years ago. Nearly 10 years ago. Yeah. It had been out before, but I felt that year was the year it really kind of exploded culturally that show. Yeah, the ratings went crazy.

Yeah. The first season didn't do terribly well, but it got itself known. And then for some reason, the second season blew up. And none of us really knew what we were in for, especially. when we come out, I went in there absolutely not in that circle of life at all. Like, Tawi was something I watched and just thought was

amazing. I wasn't involved in that kind of thing. I had about 100 followers and I think when we come out, it went up, like I had about half a million. It was just crazy, the overnight feeling. Obviously, we were in that villa with no idea what was happening. And to come out to

everyone knowing who you were, everyone watching what you've done on TV, which some of it was a bit spicy. So it was a lot. Like, it was crazy. And you, while you're in there, we'll gloss over this, Alex, because you've proved yourself so much. But, you know, you had some, some sort of full starts to your relationship. Oh, yeah, we had some challenges. You had some challenges in there. And obviously, that's the point of the show. There's other people and, you know, but I thought what was interesting, I do remember vividly, you know, having things sticking in your head watching that show. And you have,

you know, as often happens in this show, you have the inevitable, awful kind of, you know, confrontation with him where he's got up to no good with someone else because you're not exclusive, yeah. We'd only known each other a day. Right, but in there, that also felt like a year. Yeah, I knew I liked him. Yeah, and to the audience, it felt like a year.

So I was like, what are you doing, you idiot man? It was a lad, though. And you know what? He said to me, he went in and he was thinking about all his friends watching. He went in this, like, kid, a lad. And you know what? I get it. Like, I can't say I was innocent when I went in either. So after some time, I got over it.

Do you know what was interesting? I remember at the time. I don't think it took you some time because I remember being so impressed as a young woman, how you dealt with that, that you went, you were just like, yeah, well, that was a bit stupid. I genuinely thought it was just going to be like a, we'd just get together on the show and we'd have a bit of fun and that was it. So I was like, well, I don't know why I'm bothered. I'm not going to marry and have his babies. You did say at one point.

I never forgot this. It made me laugh out loud. Because he went, look, you know, I don't want to beat around the bush. I think you've done that already. What about me? He said to him. He said, look, I don't want to beat around the bush. You went, I think it's a bit late for that.

You did that already last night. I was funny. I like it. Where is she now? No. I am quite a laid back person. But I think because I also knew it was on camera. I didn't want a scene bothered.

So I think at the time, I was like, like just let it lie. Like, it's just a program. It's just a show. Like, you're not going to fall in love with this person. He's just someone you've known for a day. Like, get over it kind of thing.

And also, I hadn't been innocent before he came in. So I was a bit like, well, you know, how serious can this be? But I also think what was interesting and very telling about you was, you know, the other woman, for example, that he had been involved with, you were so nice and empathetic. Oh, she was so upset though. To her.

Yeah. And actually not everyone. Would have been? Would you stop doing that? Winnie, what are you doing? Oh, she's eating gross. Winnie! Love Island, you and Alex, it was pretty clear you were going to be,

regardless of where you placed in that competition and you ended up being runners-up. It's not really about where you place. We all know that. It's about how much the viewing public connect with you as a couple. And people really did connect with the two of you. Yeah. Here's a scaffolder from the Midlands.

Yeah. And you, as you say, were selling pens. Yep, loved it. Oh, I hated that job. Not me even going to lie. They hated me as well. Did they? Why did they hate you? My manager, I'm not very good with authority. I won't lie. Like, I knew I had to be my own boss because I could not listen to a soul.

I'm a nightmare. So I just never did very well in jobs because I just couldn't be told what to do. And when you came out, Olivia, you and Alex, which was nice that at least you came out into that in sanity, quite frankly, knowing that you were solid as a couple. I feel you were confident in your relationship, won't you? I never have felt so comfortable to be like my authentic weird self with someone. And to initially get that within a few days, I was quite shocked because I'd never been myself around any man, I don't think. And he's the first man. Oh boy, should I say, after what he did. man that I'd ever thought, oh my God, I'm being myself and they're not finding me weird or hating me or being embarrassed about me or so I think from that point I kind of knew, oh God, this is actually more than what I thought initially. And he was just as weird as me

and we actually bonded over the fact that we both have really ugly feet. And that was one of the first jokes we made about each other because we always said, oh, if we ever had children, our child would be cursed from the ankle down. We had ugly feet. And that was one of the first So it was just very comfortable from the get-go, so I do think I had trust in our relationship and trust in him because he's the only person that I've ever really been able to be myself around except for my girlfriends, and that was huge.

Yeah, how lovely. Yeah, he... And how weird that you would go into a show like that? It doesn't make sense, does it? It doesn't make sense. We're very lucky to have found each other, but I always sort of think, oh, we would have found each other somehow.

Actually, my friends went to university in Berber, and we used to go out where he used to go out. So I was like, we could have walked past each other at some point. But, yeah, we're very lucky. And he worked so hard for me when we came out of Love Island at making me feel comfortable and earning my trust. Like, he had so many PAs when he'd come out, so he had to spend a lot of time away.

He'd always FaceTime me when he got in the hotel room. Those PAs were, which you don't tend to get them so much anymore, do you? No, they don't know your thing anymore. There was a real period where that celebrity And it was always kind of they play things like, little gentleman, and they play something kind of, ooh, ooh, jump in. And they'd be in a club in like some like Newcastle. I know. I know.

It was crazy. Like the amount of woman attention he got was mad. Yeah. And for someone like me who wasn't very trusting had been cheated on, like had anxiety. I don't know really how we got like around it. I think it was because of him and how much he tried to reassure me. I would have been up all night checking my phone. If he doesn't respond him one second.

I do remember a couple of times screaming the house down because I just lost it a few times. But he never made me feel like a madwoman. He just would understand. And it threw me for a bit. I was honestly like, what are you trying to gain? because I couldn't understand that there was this unreal-looking guy

that wanted to look after me. I was like, what's happening? Am I being, you know, prank? Like, what's going on? It was a weird thing to get used to. And it took a while for me to get used to it because I just wasn't used to being treated like that. So I just thought he had an ulterior motive or something.

But no, he's just a genuinely really nice, good human. I really hope you love part one of this week's Walking the Dog. If you want to hear the second part of our chat, it'll be out on Thursday. So whatever you do, don't miss it. And remember to subscribe so you can join us on our walks every week.