Olivia Attwood has defended herself against online trolls who criticised her appointment as a summer host on This Morning.
The former Love Island contestant, 34, will join the ITV morning programme in the coming weeks alongside other guest presenters filling in for regular hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard.
The reality television star-turned-presenter faced backlash from some viewers who questioned her suitability for the role, with some traditionalists threatening to “definitely stop watching” the programme if she joined the presenting team.
Attwood addressed the criticism directly. “Those who know me understand the hard work I’ve put in to get where I am today,” she said, emphasising her determination to succeed in the new position.
The backlash emerged after ITV announced Attwood would join the summer presenting roster. Some viewers expressed scepticism about whether the arrangement “wouldn’t work”, whilst others insisted they would boycott the programme.
Despite the negative reaction, Attwood remains confident about her abilities.
“I’m forever grateful to Love Island for being the springboard to my career, but I’m excited to show there’s so much more to me beyond the villa,” she told The Sun.
The presenter, who has become a regular Loose Women panellist and fronted multiple ITV documentaries, acknowledged the journey hasn’t been easy.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, but I’ve always stayed focused on my goals and believed in myself and I’m very thankful for ITV in believing me,” she said.
Attwood’s television career has expanded significantly since her 2017 Love Island appearance, where she reached the final with ex-boyfriend Chris Hughes.
The former grid girl has become a household name through appearances on programmes including The Only Way Is Essex, I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, and regular slots on Loose Women.
She has also presented her own programmes, including Bad Boyfriends, Getting Filthy Rich and The Price Of Perfection.
Speaking to MailOnline, Attwood revealed she has “bitten the hands off” television executives for opportunities, taking “big jobs, little jobs, whatever I could get”.
The presenter emphasised that success didn’t come overnight. “Even when you get a big platform like Love Island, you still need to prove yourself to people,” she explained.
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Attwood will join other summer hosts, including Sian Welby, Dermot O’Leary, Emma Willis, Josie Gibson, Rochelle Humes, Joel Dommett, Craig Doyle, and Andi Peters.
The presenter expressed her enthusiasm about the opportunity, telling The Sun: “When I got the gig, I was over the moon! I grew up watching the show, and to be a part of it feels like such a huge achievement!”
Her appointment means she could potentially work alongside ex-boyfriend Chris Hughes, who serves as a roving reporter on the programme.
Much of the backlash to Attwood’s appointment came on Instagram after the show’s account broke the news on the social media site.
One Instagram user hit back at the announcement: “Hmmmmmm? & big pause my intelligence has just been insulted.”
A second referenced the imminent ITV spending cuts, commenting: “And yet they are saving money. This show has become boring and the whole of daytime needs a revision and a better refresh than the one they are offering atm.”
And a third promised to switch off all together: “Definitely will stop watching. Olivia is such a mean and horrible person.” (sic)
