Olivia Attwood has acknowledged that a boozy holiday in Ibiza with fellow television personality Pete Wicks "caused chaos" and left people at home "really concerned," after images of the two cosying up on a boat sparked outrage.
Footage from a KISS FM filming session, shot two days before the photographs emerged, shows Wicks and Attwood joking about ways to "cause chaos" on the island. In the clip, Wicks says, "I mean, to be fair, we cause chaos everywhere we go," and Attwood replies, "I feel like going together would be the best way to cause chaos... I feel like also putting your phone on do not disturb, don't reply to anyone, it causes chaos at home." Wicks adds, "To be fair, we cause chaos for other people. We don't realize we're chaos, but everyone else thinks it's chaos," and concludes, "We're on day two and everyone is sending out search parties. We've not responded to a thing."
Attwood, 34, told the Daily Mail last week that she understood why husband Bradley Dack, a professional footballer, was upset by the snap of Wicks, 36, with his arm around her on a yacht during a boat party. She said she and Dack have been through a "challenging" six months and that the couple's relationship is "not perfect" but that they remain together.
"Me and Brad never pretend to have a perfect relationship," Attwood said. "We have been up, down, left, backwards, and the last six months have been really challenging for us." She said both partners have made mistakes: "I have f---ed up and Brad has f---ed up. It's really easy to pretend you're perfect but no one is if you just dig a little deeper." Attwood added that work commitments for both herself and Dack have put strain on the relationship and that they regularly have to "navigate" their partnership.
The boat images prompted an online backlash and reportedly led to unsavoury chants aimed at Dack by some football supporters during Gillingham matches. The photos also coincided with reports of a falling-out between Attwood and her former assistant Ryan Kay, who has been reported to have cut contact with her.
Attwood emphasised that she and Wicks — who appeared on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing and rose to public prominence on reality TV — are friends and colleagues. She said the pair were hosting a KISS FM O Beach event in Ibiza and that they were "drinking and hugging each other and being best friends, it was family vibes." She added, "But if it was the other way around, of course I wouldn't like it either... I completely understand why he was a bit miffed but it was never as deep as anyone made out."
Wicks and Attwood were seen together while representing KISS FM on the White Isle, and Attwood said the pair had been joined by friends and were staying extra days after hosting duties. The images of the pair in close proximity circulated widely on social media and in tabloid coverage, prompting attention to both the holiday and the couple's private life.
Attwood said she recognised the public reaction but reiterated that the situation had been blown out of proportion and described the trip as a holiday that unexpectedly resulted in headlines. She said she and Dack are "determined to overcome" the difficult spell and that their relationship will require continued effort amid busy professional schedules.
Neither Attwood nor Dack has indicated any immediate change in their living arrangements, and Attwood has maintained that the relationship remains ongoing despite the attention. Wicks has not issued a separate public statement about the footage or the subsequent photographs.