Laura Whitmore announces she's quitting as host of Love Island

Laura Whitmore has announced she has quit as host the next series of Love Island, saying there are elements of the show she found too 'difficult' to continue with, including travel commitments.

The star also said she had only ever intended to 'fill in' for former host Caroline Flack who presented the show until 2019, before her death in 2020.

Sharing the news on Instagram, Whitmore wrote: "Some news! I won’t be hosting the next series of Love island. There are certain elements of the show I’ve found very difficult that cannot be changed some due to the format, including the flying back and forth to South Africa along with my new conflicting projects. I wish it was still possible but know you’ll be in safe hands. I was only planning to fill in for Caroline for a series and it turned into 3 series."

She added: "I hope I did you proud Caroline."

ITV said it would continue to work with the presenter on other projects, and that it was 'grateful' for her input to the dating show, which she has presented since January 2020.

The channel said in a statement: "Laura has been a fantastic host across the last three series of the show. We are so grateful for everything she has brought to the programme but understand and respect her decision, and we look forward to working with her on upcoming ITV projects."

After joining the winter series at the eleventh hour as a substitute for the late Caroline Flack, Laura returned the following summer, only to be met with severe pandemic restrictions.

Recalling the bizarre experience to Tyla earlier this year, she said: "I’d go over, film for three days, go back to the UK to do After Sun, and then isolate for five days.” 

Whitmore also said her return to the island for a third time this summer had been a 'whirlwind', explaining: "In the first year I was stepping in and it was very last-minute and it was very overwhelming.

"I was a big fan of the show and I just wanted to get through each episode and do it the best I could do."

As for why Love Island has proven to be such an enduring hit with fans, especially amid other reality dating shows like Love Is Blind, Too Hot To Handle, The Ultimatum and Celebs Go Dating, Whitmore said: "We love watching relationships. We love gossiping and talking about people and the these are people who have given consent to be talked about on the show. We follow their journey, we fall in love with them.

“Other networks and production companies will try and do the same but you’re never going to beat the OG."