Laura Whitmore has announced that she is quitting Love Island and will not be returning to host the next series of the ITV2 dating show.
The Irish presenter, 37, joined Love Island back in 2020 and has hosted the hugely popular reality TV show and its spin-off programme Aftersun for three series.
On Monday, Laura – who is mother to a 16-month-old daughter with Love Island voiceover star Iain Sterling – took to her Instagram to confirm that she would be leaving, saying she has found flying back and forth from the villa ‘very difficult’.
The TV presenter’s stint on the ITV2 dating show received mixed reviews this season; some viewers praised her handling of sensitive topics, while others criticised her for ‘encouraging slut-shaming’ in a segment which sparked 427 Ofcom complaints.
Exit: Laura Whitmore has announced that she is quitting Love Island and will not be returning to host the next series of the ITV2 dating show
The summer series of Love Island is based in Mallorca, while the winter installment is filmed in South Africa.
Laura replaced Caroline Flack as the presenter of Love Island when she stood down in December 2019. Caroline tragically took her own life aged 40 in February 2020.
In her statement, Laura said she was only planning to fill in for Caroline for one series, emotionally saying that she hope she did her late friend ‘proud’.
Taking to Instagram, Laura said: ‘Some news! I won’t be hosting the next series of Love island.
Host: The Irish presenter, 37, joined Love Island back in 2020 and has hosted the hugely popular reality TV show for three series
Leaving: But on Monday, Laura took to her Instagram to confirm that she would be leaving the show, saying she has found flying back and forth from the villa ‘very difficult’
‘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. I hope I did you proud Caroline.’
Speaking of Laura’s exit, an ITV spokesperson said: ‘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.’
Tribute: Laura said she was only planning to fill in for former host Caroline Flack – who took her own life in February 2020 – for one series, saying she hope she did her late friend ‘proud’
ITV have not announced who will be replacing Laura as the show’s host for the upcoming winter series of Love Island at the start of 2023.
Following Laura’s Instagram announcement, her celebrity pals and former Love Island stars were quick to take to the comments to heap her with praise.
Former contestant Faye Winter said: ‘She really would be proud! You done incredibly.’
And Love Islander Demi Jones added: ‘You were incredible! We’ll miss you.’
While Vicky Pattison gushed: ‘You did wonderful mate!! You’ll be missed.’
Her exit from the show comes after Laura opened up about the ‘exhausting’ and ‘tough’ aspects of hosting Love Island, according to The Mirror.
New face: ITV have not announced who will be replacing Laura as the show’s host for the upcoming winter series of Love Island at the start of 2023
She told the Distraction Pieces podcast: ‘With stuff with Love Island, it’s just a bit exhausting sometimes because some of the stuff is just mental.
‘As a host, this takes up not a huge amount of my time compared to my other work. It’s over eight weeks.
‘The host only comes on three or four times, it’s always been the way, but it gets the most attention. It’s a bit exhausting and it’s tough.’
Laura – who shares daughter Stevie Ré with Love Island narrator husband Iain Stirling – took over as Love Island host for the 2020 winter series in South Africa.
She has since hosted series seven and eight of the ITV2 dating show, with the latest series seeing Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Davide Sanclimenti crowned as winners earlier this month.
The presenter previously hosted I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! NOW! for five series starting in 2011 while she was also a Eurovision commentator in 2014.
Laura also competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice, but was the fifth celebrity to be voted out.
The model is making a change in her career as she is set to make her West End debut as Jenny in 2:22 A Ghost Story in September.
Lily Allen, Tom Felton, Mandip Gill and Giovanna Fletcher have previously starred in the popular theatre production, with Laura set to perform alongside Felix Scott, Tamsin Carroll and Matt Willis.
Couple: Laura shares a daughter Stevie Ré with her husband Iain Stirling (both pictured in November), who is the Love Island narrator