Luca has resurfaced on Instagram to share an update (Picture: Instagram/lucabish)
Love Island star Luca Bish has thanked fans for their ‘kindness’ and support in the wake of his split from Gemma Owen.
The former couple, who finished second in the most recent series of ITV’s hit reality show, called it quits after just over three months of dating outside the villa.
Gemma had been the first to break the news on Wednesday, confirming that they had chosen to split.
She added on her Instagram story: ‘It wasn’t an easy decision but this ultimately is what is best for us both right now.
‘Many of you have been on this journey with us from the very beginning and I want to thank you for your continued support as we start new chapters. Love always. Gem x.’
Fishmonger Luca later added his own statement on Instagram, revealing that they had chosen to ‘make the mutual decision earlier today to go our separate ways’.
The couple came second on Love Island this summer, becoming ‘official’ in August (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock)
Having maintained his silence since then, the 23-year-old surfaced on social media again on Sunday night, sharing a photo of himself in a black hoodie and looking thoughtful on his grid.
‘Glad this week is over. Thank you for all the kind messages,’ he wrote in the caption.
His last grid post shows him and Gemma enjoying Bonfire Night on November 5 together, as he gushed about ‘experiencing another first’ with her.
Many fans and follower shared supportive messages in the comments, including his former Love Island boys Ikenna Ekwonna and Dami Hope, who kept it light.
‘Luca Bish has entered the chat let’s f*ckin ave itttt ❤️🔥,’ hyped up Dami, while Ikenna simply wrote: ‘Too leng 😍’
When sharing the news of their break-up initially on Wednesday, Luca had written: ‘Switched my phone back on after taking some time out to clear my head after an emotional afternoon to thousands of messages and news articles about my breakup.
‘I would have liked some time to process this privately but as you all now know sadly Gemma and I made the mutual decision earlier today to go our separate ways.’
He added that he would ‘treasure’ their amazing memories and added: ‘We will remain good friends and I wish nothing but the best for her.’
Gemma and Luca with Love Island finalists Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page, Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti, and Indiyah Polack and Dami Hope (Picture: Matt Frost/ITV/Rex/Shutterstock)
Since then, a source close to the former couple has suggested their friends knew the romance was on the rocks almost immediately after Love Island came to an end.
‘Pals thought they were on the rocks a few months ago when they didn’t come to a reunion bash’ – Indiyah Polack’s fashion launch in September, weeks after the end of Love Island.
‘It was awkward as Dami and Indiyah had already expressed doubts over Gemma and Luca’s relationship on the outside,’ the source claimed to The Sun.
Gemma broke the news on Wednesday of their split (Picture: Instagram/gemowen_1)
‘Most of the cast were there ready to celebrate, but they thought something was up with Gemma and Luca for not coming.’
It comes after a source told Metro.co.uk that the former couple had been ‘rocky for weeks,’ adding it ‘wasn’t a shock.’
They continued: ‘Cracks were forming in the last two weeks, since before their trip to Dubai. While on holiday, they brushed over it but when they got back nothing had changed.’
The pair had been in a long-distance relationship, splitting their time between the Owen family mansion in Cheshire, Luca’s home in Brighton, and London where they would visit for work commitments.
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Their split came just two days after Luca told Metro.co.uk at the TV Choice Awards, when asked how their relationship was going: ‘It’s going better and better and better, honestly, in the villa towards the end everyone could see, you’re just ready to get out, and that timing and when we got out was the best thing that happened to us.
‘So yeah, loving life.’
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The former couple called it quits on Wednesday.
