Gemma Owen brought up for her first photoshoot since publicly stating her and boyfriend Luca Bish’s breakup last week.
Gemma Owen of Love Island returns to work for the first time since announcing her split from Luca Bish
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The Love Island star, 19, looked cozy as she posed on a grey velvet chair wearing a PrettyLittleThing brown hoodie and matching tracksuit bottoms.
Luca, 23, and Gemma, 23, met and fell in love in front of millions on the hit ITV2 dating show this summer, but their love story ended after just three months.
Gemma looked beautiful in the post, wearing a white tank bodysuit and wearing her long brunette tresses poker straight.
A source told MailOnline that the former couple’s rocky romance always ‘had cracks,’ and that a recent make or break trip failed to resolve their issues.
According to the source: “In no way was Luca blindsided, they’d been on the rocks for quite a few weeks. They’d nearly split up quite a few times before this”
They added: “Cracks had been forming the past few weeks, they brushed it over. They tried to go to Dubai to see if it would help but things didn’t change.”
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After Gemma revealed their split on Instagram, Luca reacted with his own post, stating that he wished he’d had more time to ‘process” the break-up “privately.”
However, an insider told MailOnline that the pair had “agreed” on their split statement and when it would be released, and that Gemma’s camp was surprised by Luca’s contradictory statement.
In the meantime, while Luca has recently made solo red carpet appearances and publicly discussed their relationship, Gemma has decided to opt to stay out of the spotlight because she doesn’t feel “comfortable” with “everything going on in the background.”
According to the source, the dressage rider wanted to remain “true to herself” and avoid the pressure of being a Love Island couple when things ultimately “weren’t right” between them.
They added: “Luca knew fully what was going on, it was his way of painting over the cracks.”
“It’s been going on for a few weeks, it was touch and go whether they’d make it. Gemma was the one that ultimately ended it – they both knew that it was not working out.”
They went on to explain that while Gemma is “hurt and upset” about the breakup, she claims to believe it was the correct decision.
Gemma had earlier confirmed their split in an Instagram story on Wednesday evening, saying it “wasn’t an easy decision,” while Luca insisted it was a “mutual” decision.
A source told The Sun: “Luca had no idea that Gemma was going to end things.”
“He feels really embarrassed about the whole thing. He was gushing about her at events this week – while she was planning to end it.”
“He begged her to keep trying but she had made up her mind. He feels like he has put up with a lot – after being slammed on the show and mocked about Michael Owen, so he’s feeling pretty upset and angry right now.”
Two hours after Gemma, clarified their breakup, the fishmonger took to Instagram stories to claim it was a “mutual decision,” before declaring that he wished he’d had “time to process this privately.”
MailOnline previously reported that the couple called it quits on their romance last week when they failed to appear with their ITV co-stars at the glitzy Palozza on Tuesday evening.
Luca responded to Gemma’s initial announcement with his own statement: “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.”
“We have been on such a journey together and have made some amazing memories which I will treasure. He continued. I can’t thank everyone enough for all their support for us as a couple during and after Love Island.”
“We will remain good friends and I wish nothing but the best for her.”
They were last seen together on November 5th, when they were enjoying firework night, with Luca marking “another first” with Gemma, the daughter of footballer Michael Owen.
Luca also attended the TV Choice Awards 2022 in London on Monday without Gemma, who appeared to have skipped the event.
On Wednesday, a source close to the couple told MailOnline: “Gemma and Luca have decided to part ways.”
‘Their relationship hasn’t worked for the last few weeks, and they have come to the conclusion that it’s better for them both to end things now.”
“They hope to remain friends and will continue to support each other in everything they do going forward.”
“Love Island was a special time in their lives but sadly their romance hasn’t felt the same outside of the villa.”
Gemma confirmed the breakup on Instagram, writing, ‘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 it’s what’s best for both of us right now.
“Many of you have been on this journey with us from the very beginning and I want to thank you for your continued support as we start new chapters. Love always, Gem x.”
The couple recently vacationed together in Dubai, where cracks in their relationship began to show.
Luca suggested to Gemma at the end of August, lavishing her with a £6,000 Cartier bracelet, a display of red roses, and a romantic candlelit scene that many fans compared to a marriage proposal.
Unlike their co-stars, Gemma and Luca did not make their relationship public until the series was over.
Gemma told Luca that he needed the acceptance of her parents, such as her mother Louise, and that the fishmonger would later join them on a family vacation in Portugal.
Luca had flown to The Algarve to meet Michael Owen, claiming that after meeting Gemma’s former footballer father, he would ask her to be his girlfriend.
The couple met during the summer 2022 series of Love Island and fell in love, remaining faithful to each other throughout Casa Amor and making it all the way to the final.
But they missed out on the £50,000 prize money after finishing second to Ekin-Su Cülcülolu and Davide Sanclimenti, who won Love Island by a landslide this summer.
Following his possessive treatment of Gemma, viewers questioned Luca’s behavior during the ITV2 series and accused him of gas lighting.
He was also labeled a ‘bully’ for being cruel to his deaf co-star Tasha Ghouri, who was left in tears after he claimed she was lying about her feelings for boyfriend Andrew Le Page.
