Olivia Attwood says being a grid girl ‘saved her life’

Olivia Attwood has said being a motorsport grid girl ‘saved her life’ as she reflected on her career after landing her most recent presenting role. 

The TV personality, 33, who shot to fame on the 2017 series of ITV2’s Love Island, has graduated from dating show contestant to TV presenter and has recently landed a hosting job with ITV as the presenter of a brand-new dating series. 

Now fronting documentaries, hosting her own podcast, So Wrong It’s Right, and becoming a regular panelist on Loose Women, she has come a long way from ‘living out of a suitcase’ while working for Monster Energy. 

Olivia began her career as a gird girl aged 19, a job which she now admits ‘changed’ everything. 

In 2018, walk-on grid girls were axed from Formula One as the motorsport followed the move within darts to get rid of glamour women because it is not in keeping with their ‘brand values’.

Speaking in an interview with The Sunday Times, she explained: ‘That job saved my life. I travelled the world, it gave me discipline, I met amazing people, so to me it’d be pretty sad to think someone else wouldn’t get that opportunity.

‘As soon as I’d decided what I wanted to do, I became relentlessly focused on that. Every decision I’ve made over the last five years has been about a bigger picture. 

‘There’s always going to be someone prettier than you, someone smarter than you or whatever, but I can outwork anyone.’

This year, Olivia landed a hosting job with ITV as the presenter of a brand-new dating series, MailOnline revealed in May.

The former Love Island star is currently filming the show in Greece, which features couples who are experiencing issues in their relationships because of men behaving badly, with Olivia helping to change their ways.

In November, MailOnline revealed she had been offered a six-figure deal to front the series, which has been predicted to be the next big thing since Love Island.

A TV source revealed: ‘Olivia is over the moon, she could have never predicted after starring on Love Island as a contestant to one day be presenting her own dating series. 

‘She is working with a full ensemble cast and filming has already started in Greece, she is loving every second of it so far.’

They added: ‘It’s a dream come true for her, and she can’t wait for viewers to fall in love with the format and hopefully enjoy watching the show as much as she has shooting it.’

Confirming the news on Instagram, Olivia wrote: ‘Guys… I have been keeping a secret. BTS from my brand-new ITV reality show, you’re not ready (I don’t actually think I am).

Olivia shared some behind the scenes photos from her first days of filming, complete with camera crew and sun-drenched shots of Greece.

The documentary maker, who married footballer Bradley Dack last year, found fame on Love Island in 2017 and has continued to thrive in TV roles.  

From reality shows TOWIE and Celebs Go Dating to fronting her own documentary series Filthy Rich, Olivia has garnered her own 2.2million strong fanbase.  

Developing her skills as an interviewer, Olivia launched her podcast this year and has welcomed guests from the likes of Spice Girl Mel B, Rylan and her close friend Georgia Harrison, fresh from her departure on Love Island: All Stars. 

She became the first former Islander to land a spot on ITV’s I’m A Celeb, flying to the Australian jungle in 2022. 

Her experience was short-lived when she was forced to quit the show after 24 hours due to medical and insurance reasons, leaving her ‘heartbroken.’ 

Olivia was unable to return to camp after the results of a routine medical test showed she had ‘dangerously low potassium levels.’

It was speculated that she could return to the series last year, but MailOnline confirmed due to her commitment to future TV projects, including filming her new reality series, she wouldn’t be able to join the 2023 lineup.