Bradley Dack is said to be 'furious' after being depicted as the 'bad guy' in his separation from wife Olivia Attwood, with the footballer insisting that both parties share responsibility for the breakdown of their marriage. The former Love Island star, 34, announced their split last weekend in what friends of Dack, 32, have described as a 'carefully orchestrated PR campaign' designed to protect her public image.
Claims of a One-Sided Narrative
Attwood publicly stated that her husband of two years had 'crossed a line' and 'breached her trust', allegations which have left Dack deeply angered. He contends that Attwood's own behaviour during their relationship has been far from perfect, challenging the narrative that he alone is at fault.
Friends Speak Out on Dack's Behalf
A close friend of Bradley Dack's, speaking to the Daily Mail, revealed the footballer's distress. 'He's angry and hurt that all the blame is being put on him. Olivia is making him out to be the bad guy but it's not as simple as that,' the friend said. 'He is being accused by her people in a carefully orchestrated PR campaign of crossing a line and breaching trust, but there has been bad behaviour from her during their time together too. It's not all one-sided.'
The friend emphasised the complexity of the marital issues, stating, 'There have been a lot of problems going on in the marriage for quite some time and they've both got a part to play in that. If there has been a breach of trust, then that's not just down to him.' While acknowledging Dack was not 'perfect', the friend declined to detail the alleged 'breach of trust', referring to it as 'old behaviour'.
Diverging Paths and Public Perception
Following the separation, Olivia Attwood has moved out of their central London apartment. Bradley Dack, who plays for League Two side Gillingham, has been spending more time with his parents in Kent. Another friend highlighted the disparity in their public profiles, noting, 'Olivia is a big name, she's got a TV show and other people backing her. Bradley has just got his family and pals. It's not been easy for him but he's doing all right given what's going on.'
Attwood's Rising Career and PR Strategy
Olivia Attwood's career has flourished since her Love Island appearance, with prominent roles on ITV shows like Loose Women and This Morning, alongside her own programmes. It was revealed this week that she hired former ITV publicity manager Callum Bracken as a personal publicist to manage news of the split. An insider described 'panic' behind the scenes, particularly regarding rumours about her close friendship with radio co-host Pete Wicks, and a desire to protect her professional reputation from personal turmoil.
'She's been terrified that her personal life was about to overshadow her professional one,' the insider said. 'It's been chaos with everyone panicking about how she could get out of her marriage unscathed.' The hiring of Bracken, with his ITV connections, was seen as a strategic move to navigate the situation.
A History of Challenges and Reconciliation
The couple's relationship, spanning nearly a decade, has faced public and private trials. They first met in 2015, weathered an early cheating scandal, and reconciled after Attwood's brief fling with former Love Island co-star Chris Hughes. Dack proposed during a 2019 Dubai trip. Last year, Attwood admitted to the Daily Mail, 'Me and Brad never pretend to have a perfect relationship... the last six months have been really challenging for us.' She added, 'I have messed up and done stuff, Brad has messed up. It's really easy to pretend you're perfect but no one is.'
Moving Forward with Respect
Despite the allegations, insiders say Olivia Attwood is 'devastated' but has no intention of publicly 'berating' Bradley Dack, and wishes to maintain a level of 'respect' through the divorce proceedings. She is currently on a girls' getaway to Dubai, described as a 'tonic' after a difficult start to the year. Attwood has only postponed a couple of days of work commitments, publicly putting on a brave face following the end of her long-term relationship.
Meanwhile, Bradley Dack's football career has been hampered by injuries in recent years following spells at Blackburn Rovers and Sunderland, contrasting with Attwood's continued ascent in television and media.
