Photography: Jack Alexander

Fashion: Thomas George Wulbern

Make-up: Caroline Barnes using Tatcha Skincare and Lisa Eldridge Makeup

Hair: Sarrah Hamid using Beauty Works

Olivia Attwood wearing Garnier GOOD Hair Dye in Shade 7.33 Hot Honey Blonde available nationwide

Special thanks: The Bentley Hotel London

Words & Editor-In-Chief: Miles Holder

Since first stepping into the national spotlight, Olivia Attwood has done much to outgrow the spectacle of her reality television debut. A regular face across ITV’s This Morning and Loose Women, and the driving force behind a slate of investigative documentary series exploring youth culture and overlooked social trends, Attwood is no longer content to be the subject of the gaze, she has learned to command it.

Now stepping into a major new chapter as the face of Garnier GOOD Hair Colour collection and preparing to front ITV’s The Heat – we caught up with Attwood to discuss ambition, scrutiny, reinvention and the pressure of transparency in the social media age.

Full look: Saint Laurent

FAULT Magazine: In the spirit of Olivia’s House, what are you leaving at the door today?

Olivia Attwood: Criticism of women, full stop. As I’ve got older, I’ve realised there’s no direction you can go in without being scrutinised or criticised. I spent my twenties trying to tick boxes and please people in whatever way I thought they wanted to be pleased. As you get older, you realise society is much harder on women, and women can be hard on each other too. If we want change and acceptance, it has to come from us as well. I’m leaving behind the weight of other people’s expectations.

Full look: Saint Laurent

FAULT Magazine: You’ve been chosen as the ambassador for Spiciest Blonde. What does Spiciest Blonde mean to you?

Olivia Attwood: I am everything that the word spicy embodies. You don’t quite know how it’s going to be until you try it, but once you try it, you become addicted. To me, this is the most modern version of being blonde. Since I went warmer with my hair, I feel like we started a bit of a hair revolution and I’ve never gotten more questions about my hair. So, when Garnier said, ‘Let’s define this colour, create it, and put it out as a collection,’ it just made sense.

Full look – Alaïa
Shoes – DSQUARED2

FAULT Magazine: You’ve been known for high-glam, high-fashion moments. How important was it for you to partner on something accessible to everyday consumers?

Olivia Attwood: When it comes to hair and beauty, I’m a high street girl. A lot of my products come from Lookfantastic, Boots and Superdrug. I do my own roots and I love being able to colour my hair at home. I first box-dyed my hair when I was about 13! Changing my hair has been part of my identity and self-expression since I was young, so this partnership aligns with me in a big way.

Full look – Alaïa
Shoes – DSQUARED2

FAULT Magazine: What’s it like partnering with such a massive household name brand like Garnier?

Olivia Attwood: On the shoot day I kept thinking, “wow”, it’s insane. Garnier is a household name I’ve used my whole life, and their ambassadors are icons. To be added to that collection of women is a huge honour and a lot of responsibility.

Full look – Elisabetta Franchi

FAULT Magazine: We’ve seen your documentary series in the past. What’s one subject you haven’t explored yet but would really like to dive into in the future?

Olivia Attwood: I normally keep these ideas close to my chest because I worry about talking about things too early, especially when no one has original ideas anymore, and you’re concerned someone might run with it. But if I’m going to do more documentaries, I’d love to put myself in a space people would never expect to see me in. It’s hard because these formats become franchises, people want more, and I’m doing other projects. There’s only so much I can do in one year. This year I wanted to do something different, but the demand for more was so high, and I enjoyed making it so much that it felt crazy not to lean into it.

I’d love to explore women in very different workforces, the military, the police, prisons, environments completely removed from my daily life. Putting myself in those situations and seeing how I respond would be interesting viewing something at the opposite end of the scale.

Full look – Elisabetta Franchi

FAULT Magazine: For people who have come up through reality TV, many stick to the world of social media influencer – was there ever a moment where you decided you wanted to work on more substantial projects?

Olivia Attwood: There was never an intentional moment where I thought, “I want to be different”. What happened was I fell in love with television, and that happened quickly. About six months after Love Island, I realised I was in a space where I felt comfortable. Whether it was reality formats or small punditry jobs on This Morning doing Love Island reporting, I realised for the first time in my life that this was what I was meant to do. That feeling was terrifying because I’d never felt that way about anything before. It made me happy, I felt good at it, and I wanted to learn more.

I wasn’t focused on what other people were doing. I just knew this was what I wanted, so I threw everything at it and relentlessly pursued that career.

FAULT Magazine: Was it difficult crossing over from Love Island into being taken seriously in other spaces?

Olivia Attwood: Love Island opens doors I would never have had access to. Anyone who denies that is foolish. But it also closes some. There is snobbery around reality TV. I see it as a human experiment; if you’re interested in psychology, it’s fascinating.

But yes, people can tar you with the same brush. There have been many Islanders over the years, and some have said or done questionable things. Also, the way I behaved on Love Island, I’ve matured since then. If I went on now, I’d carry myself differently in some ways.

When people have seen you stripped back on TV for ten weeks, running around in your underwear with no makeup, chain-smoking and swearing, they think that’s all you are. But I’m multifaceted. I can bring other things to the table. I had to be patient and prove I’m reliable, hardworking, and evolving. I’ve mellowed. I don’t even remember the last time I raised my voice.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: Do you think enough time has passed now that many people don’t even associate you primarily with Love Island anymore?

Olivia Attwood: I was sent a TikTok where people were discussing iconic Love Islanders. They were listing names, and at the end, one of them said, “Oh, wait, Olivia, I forgot she was even on it.” My friend said, “People forget you were on the show.” I think there’s credit in that and power in that, but it was never something I strived for.

I’ve always been vocal that I don’t want to disconnect from Love Island. That show put me where I am. Series three was one of the classic years; it’s part of pop culture history, and I’m proud of it. It’s cool to be known for other achievements now, but if someone calls me Olivia from Love Island, especially abroad, I say “yes, I am!” I’m many things now, and ‘Olivia from Love Island’ is one of them.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: You’re about to start a new show, The Heat on ITV. Can you explain the format?

Olivia Attwood: Essentially, they are young professional chefs living together and working together in the kitchen. It’s a competition to become the Star Chef. It is not a dating show, it’s a cooking competition. However, cameras follow them into their evening lives, so romance can happen. It doesn’t happen for everyone, and it’s not essential. There’s no pressure to couple up.

The show is based in the kitchen and the cooking, but it’s interesting to see people develop feelings and then work together under pressure the next day. That dynamic adds another layer.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: What was the biggest surprise during the project?

Olivia Attwood: The chefs really impressed me. Reality shows call for different types of people, and these chefs are fearless, smart and tough. Anyone who has worked in a kitchen knows how volatile and high-pressure it can be. They have tenacity, and you see it on screen.

It’s a reality TV show, but it feels fresh. The edit, the music, it doesn’t feel recycled. Watching it back in the edit, I thought this feels new. I hope viewers get that feeling too.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: Do you cook?

Olivia Attwood: I can cook. I moved out at 17, so I know how to cook. I can do a spaghetti bolognese, a roast, the basics. But I’d happily eat what people call “girl dinner” every night. I don’t have the desire to create a big production and mess up my kitchen.

Living with a man, they want a whole production. I’d happily have a piece of salmon and salad every night and be done with it. I don’t get a huge kick out of cooking, but I can do it.

FAULT Magazine: Do you think the public will ever fully respect your privacy, or is that part of the price of celebrity?

Olivia Attwood: It’s something I navigate daily. I’ve always said that if influencer couples share everything and then break up and ask for privacy, it’s difficult because the audience feels invested. My audience has been with me from Love Island to my wedding. So I do feel I owe them a level of transparency, and I’ll always honour that.

The industry is evolving, and people want transparency from their hosts. I come from reality TV, so I’m comfortable sharing. But I also need boundaries for my own sanity. Sometimes people around me remind me that I don’t have to speak on everything immediately.

The more you share, the more you open yourself up to scrutiny. When you’re vulnerable, you might expect understanding, but often people are cruel. Everyone online sits on a high pedestal. So I don’t live online. If I see my name on TikTok, I scroll past. That content isn’t for me; it’s for others to consume.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: Were your family ready for your level of fame?

Olivia Attwood: When I came out of Love Island series three, it was zero to 100 overnight. We couldn’t do anything. There were paparazzi at my door every day. They were thrown in at the deep end.

Now it’s more mellow. They know this job makes me happy. They don’t want it for themselves, but they’re proud. My mum loves it, the others are proud but prefer to stay out of it.

FAULT Magazine: Does being the “relatable celebrity” ever feel burdensome?

Olivia Attwood: Manufactured relatability is obvious. I’ve never tried to be anything other than myself. Some aspects of my life are relatable, some aren’t. I know that.

What’s powerful is that different people can connect with different parts of me. I don’t want anyone to feel shut out. But we do judge successful women differently. When men get more powerful and successful, we celebrate it. When women do, we question it.

I try not to get too hung up on it. I just try to be authentic.

FAULT Magazine: What has been your greatest creative or career challenge?

Olivia Attwood: Wanting to do everything. I want to be everywhere, but I can’t. I’ve had to be intentional with my choices. I miss out on “fun” things because I prioritise projects with longevity.

I’ve been invited to incredible events, but I’ve been in hospital filming a documentary until 10pm. You can’t show up to serious situations hungover or tired. You have to choose what matters long term.

FAULT Magazine: Do you take time to reflect on how far you’ve come?

Olivia Attwood: I think ambitious people can leapfrog milestones. You hit one goal and immediately think about the next. I’ve started forcing myself to take a moment. When I filmed Bad Boyfriends, it was a huge commission with a crew of 150 people. I stepped away during rehearsal, closed my eyes and just felt it. This was what I’d dreamt of.

I can still remember the weather and what I was wearing. That mindful moment worked. It helps you hold onto the memory instead of just chasing the next dopamine hit.

Coat – Joesphine Jones
Jewellery – Givenchy From 4 Element
Shoes – Guiseppe Zanotti
Tights – Wolford

FAULT Magazine: What is your FAULT?

Olivia Attwood: I’m quite neurotic. I live by strict rules and routines, and I forget that not everyone wants to live like that. I wake up at 5am, I push myself; everything has its place. That’s how I operate. But I have to remember other people don’t want that level of intensity, and that’s fine.

My friend always jokes, quoting The Devil Wears Prada, “Everybody wants this.” And sometimes I have to remind myself that not everyone does.