Winter Love Island 2023: contestant Olivia Hawkins' surprising link to Chorley

The first episode of the ninth series will air at 9pm on Monday, January 16, with new host Maya Jama replacing Laura Whitmore. New additions to this series include Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson and Indiyah Polack, who was a finalist on the show last year, joining as regular panellists on Love Island’s Aftersun programme. For the first time, contestants will this series have to disable their social media accounts during their time on the show in a bid to protect both themselves and their families from online abuse.

Do any of the contestants have a Lancashire link?

Contestant Olivia Hawkins was a body double for Michelle Keegan in Brassic, a Sky One show based in a fictional version of Chorley, which was co-created by and featuring Chorley born actor Joe Gilgun. Although the 27-year-old actress is from Brighton herself, Olivia will have likely spent plenty of time in our region as the black comedy has been filmed acoss various locations in Lancashire, including Chorley. Other than Olivia’s involvement with Brassic, none of the Love Island series nine contestants announced so far appear to be from Lancashire, but watch this space. Former UCLan student Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu won the 2022 series of Love Island and has gone on to secure lucrative modelling and TV contracts.

What is Brassic?

Brassic is a semi-autobiographical series co-created by Joe and BAFTA-winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, based on Joe’s experiences of living with bipolar disorder in his home town. The show’s fictional town of Hawely is therefore inspired by Chorley.

Former Southlands High School and Runshaw College student Joe, also known for his roles in Coronation Street, Emmerdale and This is England, was nominated for a BAFTA TV award for playing Vincent "Vinnie" O'Neill, one of the Brassic gang.

The show follows Vinnie and his fellow working-class friends as they find unconventional ways to win at life in northern suburbia. Brassic entered its fourth series in September 2022, and filming for the fifth series was spotted in East Lancashire this week.