Love Island star sparks fix row as she says winner Toni Laites was ITV plant

Toni Laites emerged victorious from the latest series of Love Island when she and now-boyfriend Cach Mercer were voted the nation's couple. But now, it's being claimed that the US native, 25, was actually handpicked by a top ITV boss who spotted her working in a club when he was on honeymoon to star in the show.

Olivia Attwood, who shot to fame on the third series of Love Island in 2017 and now has a successful TV career with a string of documentaries and a regular spot on the Loose Women panel, has alleged that this year's winner didn't apply for the show in the traditional manner. She said: "You know Mike Spencer, the producer? He found Toni in Vegas, she was a cabana girl - he was on his honeymoon."

Olivia explained that the ITV boss simply struck up a conversation with the then-bar girl and decided there and then that she would be a good addition to the ITV2 programme, from which she eventually walked off with the £50,000 prize. She said: "He met her, got chatting with her and told her, ‘you’d be amazing on Love Island’. That’s how she got on [the show]."

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The former TOWIE star then explained that she had spoken to Toni herself, and claimed that the Love Island beauty is in a little bit of a predicament because she hasn't been back home 'for months' thanks to her career suddenly taking off in the UK. But Olivia was quick to offer her advice. During an appearance on Pete Wicks' Sunday Roast podcast, she added: "I said to her, ‘what are you going to do? When was the last time you went home?’ She said, ‘I haven’t been home for months, I don’t know what to do’. Because she’s now got this boyfriend who’s English. If I was her, I’d want to make the most of it and stay here for a bit."

Toni and Cach made it to the final after weeks of being coupled up in front of millions of Love Island fans, and managed to beat Harry and Shakira and Yas and Jamie to the top prize with 33% of the vote. And since she has become the first American to be in such a position on the UK version of the hit franchise, Toni admitted that she 'never expected' any of it at all.

Discussing her aspirations at the ITV Reality event, Toni revealed: "The love has been insane. I never expected it in a million years honestly.", reports the Daily Star I think for me this is all new. It's a whole new world so I'm still trying to find my feet.

"There's a lot of opportunities at hand but I think presenting is my thing. All the love is so incredible so shout out to the UK."

In her first interview alongside her now-boyfriend after leaving the villa, she hinted that a move to the UK could be on the cards as she explores opportunities that have come with her newfound fame.

During an appearance on last Friday's This Morning, she told hosts Joel Dommett and Emma Willis : "Crazy, isn't it? I don't think I'll be spending much time in America. No decisions are made yet but obviously, but Cach is here, I have a lot of opportunities coming up, my friends are here. I see no reason to be in America anymore."

Toni also explained just how 'insane' it is to her and Cach that they are now suddenly very famous in the UK after weeks of living in the Spanish villa, and noted that she even had her 'doubts' about their reception prior to landing back after the show had finished. She added: "Insane, I was a very regular person before the show and now there's like millions of comments and followers."

Toni also explained just how 'insane' it is to her and Cach that they are now suddenly very famous in the UK after weeks of living in the Spanish villa, and noted that she even had her 'doubts' about their reception prior to landing back after the show had finished. She added: "Insane, I was a very regular person before the show and now there's like millions of comments and followers."

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