EMOTIONAL: Olivia Attwood finally gives fans an UPDATE that REASSURES them

Loose Women panellist Olivia Attwood will host a brand reality TV show, which will see contestants go head to head for their dream job in a Michelin star restaurant. Olivia has bagged herself a job as the presenter of The Heat, where 10 chefs will compete to work for Jean-Christophe Novelli, as he searches for the next rising star to work at his Barcelona eatery.

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The show, which will air on ITV2 and ITVX in 2026, will also follow the cast outside of the kitchen, with the potential for tempers to flare and emotion to bubble over as they battle it out to win. Viewers will witness promotions, demotions, power plays, sackings and shock decisions throughout the series, according to producers.

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Olivia, 34, has honed her craft while presenting a number of documentaries for ITV, as well as making her debut on This Morning last week, alongside regular host Dermot O’Leary. It comes after one Mirror writer claimed ‘the new Bonnie Blue documentary may be the worst thing I’ve ever seen on Channel 4’.

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Speaking about her incredible new gig, she said: “It is such an honour to host this brand-new format for ITV2 and ITVX. Being at the helm of something this fresh and exciting is a total pinch-me moment!”

Chef Jean-Christophe Novelli & Olivia Attwood will star in The Heat(Image: ITV)
Novelli, who has previously appeared as a judge on MasterChef Australia, said: “I couldn’t be more thrilled to join this new exciting show and help spotlight the next generation of culinary talent. Known for my drive and intensity in the kitchen, I’ll be using my passion and unique teaching style to push these young chefs to dig deep, stay sharp, and prove they have what it takes to grow, evolve, and make their mark.

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“I’ll mentor them to use all five senses together and put it all on the plate, the right way. It’s going to be a wild ride, and I know we’ll discover some true culinary stars along the way.”

Paul Mortimer, director of reality commissioning and acquisitions at ITV, said: “The Heat is the perfect fusion of a high-stakes cooking show with real-life drama, and with the fantastic Olivia at the forefront alongside the renowned Jean-Christophe calling the shots in the kitchen, it’s shaping up to be a new reality obsession for our younger viewers on ITV2 and ITVX.”

Former Love Island star Olivia has forged a career as a presenter over recent years, following her appearance on the reality dating show in 2017. She partnered up with Chris Hughes, with the couple making it to the final and coming third.

Olivia has presented a series of documentaries for ITV
They continued their turbulent relationship after the show, but their frequent rows and accusations of cheating saw them split up in February 2018. They even documented their post-villa life in their own reality show, Crackin’ On, but it was cut short when they split.

Olivia has since married footballer Bradley Dack, and she and Chris have not spoken in years. Liv and Brad swapped vows in June 2023 in an intimate ceremony at a five-star hotel in Knightsbridge.

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The couple said said “I do” in front of 80 guests, including family friends, and Love Island stars including Amber Davies and Georgia Harrison. The couple moved into their plush £1million Cheshire home in October 2022, which they share with their dogs Lola and Stitch.

They’ve also welcomed cameras into their own lives and home since 2020 in the reality docu-series Olivia Meets Her Match. The show follows the couple in their every-day lives, giving viewers a look at how their relationship is going behind the scenes.