‘We can't wait to have children to celebrate Christmas with'

Love Island stars Olivia and Alex Bowen tell new about their first Christmas in their recently renovated home and the secret to their happy marriage

- EMILY WHITWAM

Alex and Olivia Bowen stole our hearts on Love Island in 2016 with their modern-day love story and, four years after coming second on the show, they are as smitten as ever.

With the Christmas period upon us, we were thrilled that the couple, who married two years after leaving the villa, invited us to see their Essex mansion in all its festive glory. Aside from the incredible renovations they’ve spent the past seven months working on, it appears they have been visited by Santa’s little helpers too!

In preparation for their first Christmas in their new home, and with a little help from an interior design company, Olivia, 26, organised for the place to be transformed into a winter wonderland that would rival Father Christmas’s Grotto. “It’s such a Christmassy house!” she says, beaming, before telling us she can’t wait to have children to celebrate the festive season with. “When you have kids you get to relive Christmas again. We can’t wait for that.”

When we chat to the Essex native, she’s taking a break from decorating and is in the process of getting glammed up for our exclusive photoshoot, but she explains that Alex, 29, has arrived straight from the gym. Poking fun at each other at every given opportunity, the reality duo reveal that the secret to their happy marriage is “trusting each other” and “enjoying ourselves”.

Here, Olivia and Alex open up about their festive plans, blowing the budget on their new home and whether they’ll be starting a family next year…

Hey guys! We’re feeling all festive. What are your plans for Christmas this year?