Love Island’s Alex Bowen reveals the dad he’s never met called him ‘son’ on Facebook

Being a runner-up on Love Island bagged Alex Bowen a wife in fellow contestant Olivia Buckland, but it also stirred up a whole lot of sadness from his past.

Alex revealed on White Wine Question Time that his dad, whom he has never met, decided to post about him on social media after he’d left the villa.

“I don’t know him at all,” Alex revealed to host Kate Thornton. “When we came out of Love Island, he actually put a status on Facebook saying ‘He'll always be my son.’ I was tempted to say ‘I've never even met you in my life’.”

Asked how he felt about it all, the reality star said: “I would never do that. I've been brought up in a right way to respect women, to respect people.”

Former scaffolder Alex was brought up in Birmingham by his mum, with help from his nan and grandad, and even though he’s never known his father, he’s happy with the life he’s had.

“I'm happy the person I've turned out like. I think I'm a good person and that's what I want to be,” he revealed.

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His wife Olivia, also a guest on White Wine Question Time, said that he’s a real credit to his mum.

“Your mum was your mum and your dad,” she said. “Honestly, you're such a good person!”

The only downside to his relationship with his fellow Love Island star Olivia is that he’s had to move away from his family.

“I do miss them, but then I know they're happy for me. All my family is so proud of me for what I've done

“I'm just grateful to be where am. I've got my family now – Liv’s my family and that's the life we want to make now and they're happy for me for that. But obviously, I miss them…”

Alex also credits his lack of a father as the main driver behind his desire to have children.

Talking about the absence of his dad, he told Kate “I feel like that's probably why I want a kid so much as well because I want to be the best dad… I want to have a kid soon - obviously when it happens.”

Oliva says he’ll be the good cop parent when they do finally have children.

“You'll the one that's going to give them the cookie,” she laughed.

Alex agrees, but says just being around for his future kids is key.

“If we have a boy or a girl, I’d be happy either way and I just want to be there for my kid - that's all I want to be.

“It's a happy time but it’s also quite scary as well... We've got to mould that person into the person they're going to be and that's a very scary thing.”

Hear Alex and Olivia discuss more about their relationship, why their business I their child and the aftermath of being a reality star. Listen on iTunes and Spotify now.