Olivia Hawkins has named Jason Statham as her dream party guest after they appeared in a movie together.
The Love Island contestant, 27, who will appear in the new series of the show when it starts next Monday, has told how she got to know the hunky actor, 55, while talking on set.
She explained: ‘I did a film with Jason Statham and had a nice 10 minute convo about life.’
When asked who her dream party guests were she named Jason before adding that she would also invite The Rock and late singer Amy Winehouse.
Olivia studied a degree in Professional Dance and Musical Theatre at the prestigious Bird College in Sidcup, Kent which has seen the likes of Spice Girls star Mel C, former EastEnders actors John Patridge and Jonny Labey attend.
She has starred in music videos for Craig David and DJ Tom Zanetti as well as play as a waitress in James Bond alongside Daniel Craig.
Olivia has also carved out a name in her own right after acting as body doubles for the likes of Michelle Keegan and Emma Watson.
Other credentials include Acorn TV’s Queens Of Mystery, as well as Netflix’s Top Boy and a mystery project at Bovingdon Studios in Hertfordshire.
She already has a string of reality star pals including Sam Faiers and has even been a backing dancer for Charli XCX at a Wembley Arena concert.
And she is hoping to find romance on this winter’s Love Island, saying: ‘I’m 27 and I’ve never been in a relationship so I feel like now I’m really ready to settle down and hopefully find the love of my life.’
On why she’s single, she added: ‘Out of choice and maybe because in the past I’ve had commitment issues – but I’d say it’s mainly just the wrong boy, wrong time.’
While she admits she falls in love quickly, there are a number of things that get on Olivia’s nerves when it comes to men.
She explained: ‘When guys have no pillows on their bed. I went into a guy’s room once and I was like, “You don’t have any pillows, where am I supposed to lay my head?” He went and got one from the sofa.
‘Also when men use umbrellas, it’s a really weird one but it’s just the thought of them running outside under the umbrella.’
The ninth series of Love Island will be hosted for the first time by Maya Jama, after Laura Whitmore stepped down from the position following former presenter Caroline Flack’s tragic death in 2020.
In an interview with over the weekend Maya revealed she did not have to audition to present Love Island and accepted the hosting gig straight away.
She told The Times: ‘Once you start doing TV, you meet a lot of producers, through different shows, and the heads will be aware of talent . . . That’s weird, to call yourself talent, isn’t it? I talk for a living. It’s not exactly tap dancing everywhere or performing a ballad.’
‘So I think I’ve always been in their eye line, but I was super young when the presenter shifts were happening in the past.’
The presenter was having some time off when she got the call about the Love Island gig, explaining: ‘I got the phone call saying, “we wanna meet you.” Or, they offered it to me straight away? Or “They’re in discussions’? I’m trying to think! Anyway, I didn’t have to audition.”’
When asked if she said yes immediately, Maya exclaimed: ‘Straight away! Of course! Golden ticket.’
Record-breaking viewing figures saw the last series of Love Island, which aired in summer 2022, become the most-watched series ever on ITV Hub, amassing over 269 million streams.
The debut winter series aired in January 2020 – shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic – and was won by Paige Turley and Finn Tapp.
Plans for a second winter series were shelved in 2021 amid concerns surrounding the pandemic.
Paul Mortimer, Director of Reality Commissioning and Controller, ITV2, said ‘Love Island has once again proved itself to be the nation’s favourite talking point across the summer, and we’re always blown away by the show’s ongoing impact and talkability amongst our younger audience.
