Love Island reunion 2022: Luca admits he’s finally spoken to Gemma’s footballer father Michael

Love Island’s Gemma admitted comparisons between her show partner Luca and her footballer father Michael Owen made her ‘sick’ during Sunday’s reunion episode – as Luca revealed he’d finally spoken to the sportsman.  

Luca admitted to a squabble at the reunion while they headed home from Elstree Studios, both looking sombre as they were snapped in the car on Thursday night.

And in scenes from the pre-recorded reunion show which aired on ITV2 on Sunday evening, Gemma spoke out about how difficult she finds comparisons of Luca to a young Michael, something highlighted by her mother Louise during the Meet the Parents instalment last month.  

Quizzing Luca on whether he’d spoken to retired footballer Michael since leaving the Love Island villa last week, host Laura Whitmore asked the fishmonger: ‘I know you’ve met her mum, have you met her dad yet?’

Luca replied: ‘Not yet, we’ve had a little FaceTime together and that’s it.’

Referencing the comparisons between Luca and Michael, Laura joked: ‘Was it like looking at yourself in the future?’

Chatter: Gemma’s comments came as Luca said he’d finally spoken to Michael (pictured) via FaceTime since leaving the villa last Monday 

Burying her face in her hands, Gemma mumbled: ‘Oh, God!’, before looking up and saying: ‘I can’t see it at all, you know? And it actually makes me feel a little bit sick thinking about it as well.’

Laura laughed: ‘They say that we all have that complex where you go for one of your parents!’

While football pundit Michael decided not to visit Gemma in the Love Island villa for the Meet the Parents episode this series, her mother Louise did jet out to Majorca to see her daughter.

Joking about: Referencing the comparisons between Luca and Michael, Laura joked: ‘Was it like looking at yourself in the future?’

Awkward: Laura laughed: ‘They say that we all have that complex where you go for one of your parents!’

As they sat down to chat, Louise told Gemma people had been comparing Luca to her father while she was on the show, saying Luca looked like a younger version of the former England striker.

It comes after Luca admitted to a squabble at the Love Island reunion while they headed home from Elstree Studios, both looking sombre as they were snapped in the car.

According to the Liverpool Echo, Luca made a telling comment to a photographer waiting outside the venue who spotted some tension between the pair.

The photographer said to Luca: ‘You’ve got your hands full there!’

Luca was then said to have replied: ‘Oh don’t mate! She’s got the right hump with me!’  

MailOnline contacted representatives for Luca and Gemma for comment.

Visitor: While Michael decided not to visit Gemma in the Love Island villa for the Meet the Parents episode this series, her mother Louise did jet out to Majorca to see her daughter 

Proud parents: Referencing Michael, Louise told Gemma: ‘Honestly, he is really proud of you, really proud,’ before revealing people had compared Luca and Michael’s looks

Luca and Gemma were both seen looking very serious after filming the pre-recorded episode on Thursday despite arriving in good spirits.

Brighton resident Luca looked subdued as held his hand over his mouth while sitting beside Gemma in a car on their way home from the reunion.

The couple sparked speculation things were tense between them when Gemma’s social media account handlers did not post any reference to Luca in the run-up to last Monday’s final. 

Following Gemma and Luca’s second-place finish, Luca’s family were quick to congratulate the couple, posting a snap of them together with a gushing caption.

Fall out? It comes after Luca admitted to a squabble at the Love Island reunion while they headed home from Elstree Studios 

It read: ‘Thank you SO much from the bottom of our hearts for all of the support you’ve shown this gorgeous couple. So excited to continue watching your journey from the outside. You really did win by finding each other.’

This was in stark contrast to Gemma’s Instagram, which noticeably only posted solo snaps of the brunette beauty in the lead-up and following the final, with beau Luca noticeably absent.  

Sharing a solo snap of Gemma clad in a nude ruched gown, her loved ones penned the caption: ‘Words can’t describe how proud we all are of Gemma.’

‘She has shown the nation how mature, honest and classy she truly is. From the bottom of our hearts thank you for all the love and support…Gemma is going to be SO overwhelmed.

‘We are passing this back to Gemma now… We have loved running her account and being part of her @loveisland journey. We can’t wait for what the future holds.’

Eagle-eyed fans at home were quick to notice this, and took to Twitter to suggest that Gemma’s family were not overly fond of Luca and that they were doing ‘damage control’ to protect Gemma’s brand.

Happy: The pair appeared in high spirits before heading home, with Gemma posting loved up snaps to Instagram from the filming