Michael Owen says he will not appear on Love Island’s meet the parents

Michael Owen has confirmed he will not be heading into the villa for a reunion with daughter Gemma for Love Island’s infamous meet the parents segment.

The retired footballer, 42, said he would be leaving it to wife Louise to jet off to meet their daughter and her partner Luca Bish should she make it to the final week of the ITV2 show.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ At The Races after watching his horse run, the former England captain explained: “My wife will do that duty. I’ll represent the horses and she’ll represent the daughter.”

Despite previously having reservations about the 19-year-old appearing on Love Island, he admitted he is less worried about his daughter than his horse Box To Box race.

He added: “I don’t know what I’ll get from Box To Box. But I know what I’m going to get from my daughter. I’ve fathered her for 19 years so I’m pretty sure what I’m going to get from her.”

Love Island regularly features a meet the parents episode once couples are more settled towards the end of the series.

Family members are flown out to Majorca and enter the villa to catch up with their loved one and meet their new partner in the segment.

Fans had previously speculated Mr Owen’s appearance on the show was a given.

BT Sport announced there will not be any football fixtures that week so he won’t be needed at work as a sports pundit for the channel, according to The Sun.

This would also mark the first opportunity the dad-of-four has had to see Gemma since she first jetted off to the Spanish island in mid-May to begin quarantining for the show.