Love Island Liam's famous rugby dad reveals pride in son who didn't even apply for the show

"That's nothing compared to this," says David Llewellyn.

"I remember having good, bad and indifferent in rugby's goldfish bowl. I thought that was intense, but this is even bigger. I'd take that anyday!"

Welsh rugby's goldfish bowl is noted as being pretty demanding, but it's certainly nothing compared to that of TV dating gameshow, Love Island. Llewellyn is just finding that out for himself.

The new life of Dai Llewellyn, the 1990s Wales scrum-half forced to live in the shadow of others

The former Wales scrum-half, who won four caps for his country in the late 1990s, has just seen his son, Liam, head into the villa - where the eyes of the nation, plus many more worldwide, will be watching his efforts to find love. Suddenly, even running out at the Principality Stadium seems a little less daunting.

"It brings a lot of emotions out in you as his father.

"I'm missing him for one. But I'm very proud of him. I didn't realise how big this was until this week. It's big in America, Canada and all around the world.

"When he first rung me up, he said he needed to speak to me. I asked if everything was ok and he said the Love Island crew had contacted him - he hadn't even applied - about an interview. He went down to London a couple of times and obviously must have nailed it because now he's on the show."

Such is the success of the show, many former contestants have gone on to enjoy celebrity lifestyles once leaving the villa. For David, he'd simply be happy if the exposure helped Liam's business - with son having followed father into working as a personal trainer.

"Hopefully it might just set up his business as a strength and conditioning coach," he says. He's worked hard during lockdown to achieve his masters. His tutors said