Presenter Olivia Attwood says there’s no place in the TV industry for big names who think they can do what they like – in the wake of a string of bullying scandals
Olivia Attwood is warning it’s game over for TV stars who behave badly. For years, studios have been plagued by seedy antics and bullying.
But the presenter thinks that sort of thing is not being tolerated any more. Olivia says: “I think that the jig is really up for people that don’t behave well on set. There was a culture for a long time where that was tolerated. But I don’t think in this day and age and in this climate that we are putting up with as much of that, which I think is good.”
Olivia is convinced there’s no excuse for inappropriate behaviour from any TV stars because it isn’t as tough as most industries. “Being in the entertainment is a f****** privilege of a job,” she adds.
“We are not saving lives here. We are making telly. It should be fun. Let’s not take the fun out of it for everyone involved.” In recent months a raft of household names have been dropped over claims they misbehaved.
Gregg Wallace and John Torode have both been axed from MasterChef while Gino D’Acampo has been sidelined by ITV. And Olivia is thrilled action is being taken.
In fact, she’s trying to be part of the change herself by making sure there’s a nice atmosphere when she’s filming a show. “I always think of myself as someone that advocates for people,” she says.
“I treat everyone the same whether they’re a runner or a commissioner. I think that everyone should be treated with respect. You have to have respect for every single person that goes into making a production. That’s just the way that I was brought up. You can’t teach people good manners. You’ve either got it or you haven’t.”
While Olivia is pleased stars are being held to account, she does worry that the new culture has its downsides. The star is aware that she could get into trouble if she says or does the wrong thing.
In this day and age, one social media post or comment can spark a backlash on social media and end your career. She says: “It’s a really hard climate because we demand authenticity from celebrities, but at the same time people are really quick to tell you off.
“I always try to be as unfiltered as I can while still using my brain not to say anything dumb that could offend someone. It’s a fine line. You have to be smart with it and read the room.”
Olivia regularly gets tips from established presenters. They include Davina McCall, Holly Willoughby, Cat Deeley and Dermot O’Leary.
The mentoring helps her navigate the industry. “There are so many presenters who have given me advice,” she says. “It’s a nice feeling. They’re genuinely happy for me. It’s been kind of surprising because you don’t always expect that from people.”
Since finding fame on Love Island in 2017, Olivia has become one of ITV’s biggest stars. At first she did lots of reality shows including The Only Way Is Essex and I’m A Celebrity.
But more recently she’s carved out a successful career as a presenter, with documentary series Getting Filthy Rich and The Price of Perfection. There’s also been her series Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends.
That has been so successful that it’s returning for a second series on ITV2 this month. Despite all of that, she still doesn’t really think she’s famous.
She says: “When you leave Love Island, especially as we left at the height of series three, you get a crash course on dealing with the public. I can’t actually remember life before it. People say, ‘Being on TV must be really weird’. But I don’t feel like I notice that anymore.
“Having said that, I still don’t think of myself as famous. Mariah Carey is famous. I am known in a certain group of people. If you live in the UK, you might know me. But my life is pretty normal.”
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