LOVE Island producers have been accused of fixing Gemma and Luca’s coupling after the show received backlash over Michael Owen’s daughter’s age.
Gemma, just 19, had previously been coupled up with Davide Sanclimenti, who is eight years her senior.
Fans immediately complained about the large age-gap between the pair – with Gemma revealing on her entry to the show she was a teenager.
Luca, 23, was originally coupled up with Paige Thorne after the British public played Cupid and voted to pair them up in the first episode.
But on Friday night the fish salesman recoupled with the professional dressage rider – prompting speculation that producers had a hand in the romance.
It’s been suggested that ITV2 staff nudged the pair together to ensure that Miss Owen’s attention was caught by Bish.
A source told the Mail on Sunday: “The outrage about Gemma and Davide wasn’t expected at all by the show’s producers – they didn’t see it coming.
“Eight years isn’t a massive gap, but it is the fact that Gemma is still a teenager and so young that her being with a man in his late twenties seems to have upset the fans.
“Now there is huge industry speculation that behind the scenes Love Island staff did a quick reverse ferret because they saw the backlash. If that is the case it makes a huge mockery of the show.”
Earlier in the week Davide, 27, was thought to not know about the difference in their age, since it had never been addressed by the pair on screen.
However, on Thursday night, the couple sat down to talk about the entrance of the new girls, Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Afia Tonkmor.
While they were talking, Gemma brought up their eight-year gap, asking Davide whether it “bothered him” or not.
“What do you think about the fact that I am much older than you, and you are not bothered about that?” Davide asked Gemma.
She replied: “No it’s not an issue for me at all -if it was then I wouldn’t have wanted to get to know you in the first place. It’s not something that I’m not used to or that you’re the only one.”
“For me, it’s not an issue, I actually think maybe you are more mature than me,” Davide joked back.
Fans at home were left in shock that Davide had known about the large age gap for the whole time – and took to Twitter to react.
“Davide asking if Gemma is worried about their age gap? Bro why are YOU not worried about it?” one fumed.
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Another chimed in: “He just said the AGE GAP is not an issue? Wait there – just wait there,” alongside a police car emoji.
“OK so he knows she’s 19 and he’s fine with the age gap?” a third said alongside a sick-faced emoji, as a fourth added: “Disgusting.”
