Olivia Attwood, whose wedding was the focus of a 12-episode series for ITV, fled the UK yesterday after it was revealed she was never legally married.
In an Instagram post written from Heathrow, the reality TV star joked that she wanted a ‘one way ticket to Timbuktu’.
Her rise from contestant on Love Island to one of ITV’s most bankable stars is now under intense scrutiny after bosses were reportedly ‘blindsided’ by claims her on-screen wedding was not legally binding.
Sources told the Daily Mail that executives are furious at the revelations, which were first featured in The Mail on Sunday, and have refused to confirm her long-term future at the corporation.
One insider said she is being allowed to continue as presenter for her current show ‘for now’.
ITV bosses were reportedly ‘stunned’ to learn of the sham at the weekend and further angered that Ms Attwood had not disclosed it to them.
Olivia Attwood, whose wedding was the focus of a 12-episode series for ITV, fled the UK yesterday after it was revealed she was never legally married
Her rise from contestant on Love Island to one of ITV’s most bankable stars is now under intense scrutiny after bosses were reportedly ‘blindsided’ by claims her on-screen wedding to Bradley Dack was not legally binding
The network is also bracing for potential complaints to TV regulator Ofcom, from viewers who may have felt misled by Olivia Marries Her Match, its lavish series built around her ‘wedding’ to footballer Bradley Dack, 32.
Known for her straight-talking approach, Ms Attwood, 34, was introduced to viewers on ITV’s hit dating show Love Island in 2017, in which she came third.
She has since carved out a lucrative career, largely with ITV, fronting reality shows and documentaries. Ms Attwood also had a stint presenting This Morning last summer and has appeared regularly on Loose Women. But her carefully constructed image is now under question.
According to sources, the broadcaster learned the 2023 marriage was not legal through The Mail on Sunday’s article.
Ms Attwood’s televised wedding series, produced by Lifted Entertainment, was pitched in 2023 as an ‘access-all-areas pass’ to the couple’s big day.
Viewers were promised behind-the-scenes access to dress fittings, wine tastings, hen and stag parties, and the ultimate ‘I do’ moment – over 12 episodes of Olivia Marries Her Match, preceded by eight episodes of the series Olivia Meets Her Match.
ITV invested heavily in the glossy series, while media outlets spent thousands securing exclusive coverage and images, all centred on a nuptial event that never legally took place.
The fallout is already stirring questions behind the scenes.
Insiders say executives are scrambling to understand what Ms Attwood told them and whether the situation could have financial or reputational consequences for the broadcaster.
ITV is bracing for potential complaints to TV regulator Ofcom, from viewers who may have felt misled by Olivia Marries Her Match
It comes as the star has flown to South Korea to film her series The Price Of Perfection after she was embroiled in the fakery row
Her standing as one of ITV’s rising stars – she has even been tipped as a successor to Holly Willoughby – may now be in doubt, with her future on flagship projects hanging in the balance.
Despite the controversy, Ms Attwood appears unfazed publicly.
She is continuing her professional commitments, including filming her new ITV documentary, The Price Of Perfection, which explores the world of cosmetic procedures.
The Mail learned that she jetted off to South Korea yesterday.
On social media, she shared snaps of a £6,000 Chanel handbag purchase at Heathrow airport and promoted her upcoming appearance on ITV show Celebrity Sabotage.
Adding to the confusion, Ms Attwood’s PR camp previously suggested the couple were headed for divorce following a split, claims complicated by the fact the marriage was never legal.
ITV has not yet made an official statement on the revelations, nor announced whether or not it will pull Olivia Marries Her Match from its streaming service.
Read the full article here
