Olivia Attwood says she is in talks with ITV to become a more permanent presenter on This Morning after her on-screen debut alongside Dermot O'Leary drew positive viewer reaction this summer. The 34-year-old former Love Island contestant also addressed comparisons to long‑time presenter Holly Willoughby ahead of the launch of season two of Bad Boyfriends.
Attwood told the Daily Mail that producers at This Morning had expressed interest in signing her to a longer‑term arrangement after viewers praised her presenting style. She said she felt comfortable on live television and credited O'Leary with helping her settle into the role, adding, "Dermot was such a good person to host with, he held my hand through it, he helped me in the breaks with tips and tricks. I felt very at home, I felt like I had been doing it my whole life." She said the network's interest was "just a case of when that is" given her packed schedule and existing hosts in the rota.
Viewers compared Attwood, 34, to Holly Willoughby, who fronted This Morning for 14 years before leaving the show in 2023. Attwood called any comparison to Willoughby "completely complimentary," saying, "She is an extremely successful broadcaster, she's a household name. I find comparisons to her a huge compliment actually." She defended her debut against initial scepticism, saying, "When I got announced there were so rumbles, some people were over the moon, others were skeptical but I knew I could do this, I can do the earpiece, I can be natural, I'm still myself."
Attwood is promoting the second season of Bad Boyfriends, which begins Sunday, Sept. 14 at 9 p.m. on ITV2 and on streaming service ITVX. The format follows eight relationships in which girlfriends secretly sign up their partners to be confronted about patterns of bad behaviour. The men are initially told they are taking part in a different programme and are surprised when Attwood is revealed as the real presenter.
The new cast includes a range of couples and relationship issues. Shay, a 33‑year‑old cyber security professional from London, says she joined the show after growing tired of waiting for a commitment from her boyfriend. Receptionist Veronica, 25, nominated her semi‑professional footballer partner Chaynie, who was reportedly angry when he realised he had been put forward. The series features Anthony and Dillon as the first same‑sex couple to appear on the show. Other participants include Izzy and her 24‑year‑old boyfriend Max, Ellie, 20, and Dan, 22, from Cornwall, content creator Daniella and her then‑stripper partner Akonne, and Mia, a 25‑year‑old scientist from Manchester, who said she and roofer Joe had nearly split days before filming.
Attwood said representing a first same‑sex couple was meaningful to her and joked that many of her friendships with gay men had "raised" her. She described some of the relationships on the show as "draining" and acknowledged that the series puts couples under intense scrutiny.
Ahead of the programme's return, Attwood also addressed recent tabloid attention about her marriage to footballer Bradley Dack. She said the pair have experienced a "challenging" six months as they juggle demanding work schedules, and rejected the idea of a perfect relationship, saying, "Me and Brad never pretend to have a perfect relationship, we have been up, down, left, backwards." She added that both partners have made mistakes, saying, "I have messed up and done stuff, Brad has messed up. It's really easy to pretend you're perfect but no one is if you just dig a little deeper."
Attwood has transitioned from reality television to presenting and hosting roles since her time on Love Island. Her recent appearance on This Morning alongside O'Leary gave producers and viewers a chance to assess her live‑television capabilities, and ITV's reported interest suggests she may receive more on‑screen opportunities if schedules and host slots permit. Bad Boyfriends season two will test relationships under public scrutiny and is expected to be a key moment in Attwood's presenting career.