Olivia Attwood held to account by 'furious' ITV amid marriage fakery

Furious ITV bosses are reportedly set to hold their once golden girl Olivia Attwood to account after it was revealed she was never legally married to ex Bradley Dack. 

The former Love Island star, 34, and footballer, 32, separated in January nearly three years after apparently tying the knot, with the proposal and big day itself captured on camera over a 12-episode series for the broadcaster. 

But the Daily Mail revealed on Saturday that there is no official record of the marriage, with Olivia reportedly choosing not to make it legally binding as she had uncovered 'mistruths'. You can read the full story here. 

Bosses have now vowed to 'address recent changes' in the star's life ahead of the third series of her reality show Bad Boyfriends, which ironically is about unruly partners and saving relationships, going into production.

ITV executives were said to be furious and refused to confirm Olivia's long-term future at the corporation. With one insider saying she was being allowed to continue as presenter for her current show 'for now'. 

Brand and Culture expert Nick Ede said despite being left 'humiliated' the broadcaster would be 'weighing up the public reaction very carefully' to Olivia's marriage scandal before making any drastic decisions about her future. 

'I love Olivia Attwood because she's open and honest and has a really relatable personality but this is hugely embarrassing for ITV because it undermines the authenticity of a narrative they’ve actively platformed over 3 seasons'.

'Broadcasters rely on trust with their audience, and if they feel they’ve been misled by one of their own stars, it creates both reputational and editorial fallout. That said, Olivia is a ratings draw, so ITV will be weighing public reaction very carefully before making any drastic decisions'. 

While accepting that Olivia's credibility had been 'dented' by the fallout, Nick said she could undo any harm by addressing the scandal as quickly as possible. 

'If Olivia owns the situation, explains it clearly and shows some vulnerability, she can rebuild trust which I think she will do' 

'In the world of reality TV and personality-led brands, controversy can either derail you or redefine you. If she takes control of the story, she could come back more relevant than ever. If not, it risks becoming the moment people lost faith'.

He continued: 'I think that she should address what happened and shut it down as quickly as possible , there many be many reasons why she didn’t legally marry and these are private which she may not want to air but I do think that she does need to be open and as honest as possible just to keep her millions of fans on side'.

Meanwhile ITV also bracing for potential complaints to regulator Ofcom, from viewers who may have felt misled by Olivia Marries Her Match, its lavish series built around her 'wedding' to footballer Bradley, 32.

Known for her straight-talking approach Olivia 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. She 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.

Olivia'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 Olivia told them and whether the situation could have financial or reputational consequences for the broadcaster.

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.

Meanwhile in this week's Sunday Roast podcast with new love interest Pete Wicks, Olivia talked about her desire to tie the knot in Las Vegas. 

The pair awkwardly did not mention their blossoming romance, but spoke of Olivia doing a Las Vegas wedding.  

Pete said: 'We're going to talk about stag dos because I've been invited on a stag do today in Vegas'.

Olivia said: That's an elite destination for a stag or anything. I think that probably my next wedding will be in Vegas', to which Pete asked: 'Can I come on the hen do?'