Love Island fans call for Maya Jama, Emily Atack or Laura Whitmore to replace Caroline Flack as host

Love Island fans are calling for either Maya Jama, Laura Whitmore or Emily Atack to present the show after Caroline Flack stepped down after she was charged with assault.

Caroline, 40, announced on Tuesday that she would be stepping down from hosting the upcoming winter series of Love Island and is said to be ‘devastated’ by the decision.

Fans were quick to speculate on who will replace Caroline at the helms of the ITV2 show with Maya, 25, Laura, 34, and Emily, 29, all receiving support from viewers.

In support of Maya, one fan wrote: ‘Caroline Flack has quit as Love Island host. That can only mean one thing… welcome Maya Jama’.

Another viewer felt Laura Whitmore, who is the girlfriend of show narrator, Iain Stirling would be a better choice: ‘Laura Whitmore is Iain’s partner so think it will be her to replace Caroline.’

However, others were in favour of Emily Atack who has recently shown off her presenting skills on I’m A Celebrity spin-off show Extra Camp.

One user wrote: ‘I’d love Emily Atack to be the new Love Island presenter’ and another said: ‘Have a feeling Emily Atack will take over [from] Caroline Flack!’

Several other names have been suggested as a potential replacement for Caroline with Rylan Clark-Neal, Gemma Collins and Maura Higgins being some of the other contenders for the job.

With an abundance of presenting experience on shows like This Morning and Big Brother’s Bit On The Side, viewers thought Rylan would be a good choice. 

Others thought Gemma’s famous brand of humour would be perfect for the show, with one viewer writing: ‘Gemma Collins presenting Love Island is all I want to see’.

While some thought Maura was in the running when she uploaded a snap of herself on a plane, which some thought was headed for South Africa, her boyfriend Curtis Pritchard set the record straight.

Speaking on Hits Radio Breakfast, he said: ‘I am going to put an end to this rumour.

‘So no, she’s actually working, she’s isn’t going to do what everybody thinks she’s going to do. She’s isn’t flying out there, it just happened to be a coincidence at the timings.’

Kerry Katona waded in on the speculation and offered herself up to Love Island bosses as Caroline’s replacement.

Taking to Instagram, she jokingly wrote: ‘Pick me.. pick me!! I’ll stand in!!!’ before adding: ‘mmmmm just don’t think it will be the same without the flack!!! We all make mistakes!! I hope the Industry let’s her back as quick as they would if it was a man.’ 

Several other names have been speculated including ITV stalwarts Holly Willoughby, Ant & Dec as well as Ashley Roberts, Stacey Solomon and Love Island finalist Molly-Mae Hague. 

Meanwhile, some fans think that the show does not need a new host at all and would manage fine without a presenter.

One viewer wrote: ‘I personally don’t think a host isn’t needed? Iain Stirling and the text messages do a mighty job all on their own.’ 

It comes after Katie Price admitted in November in a YouTube video that she would love to take over the show.  

She said: ‘I would love to present Love Island. Sorry Caroline Flack, but I would love to have your job, I would love to do Love Island, I would love it!’

The winter series of Love Island will be filmed in South Africa with ITV confirming it will begin airing on January 12.  

Caroline stepped down from the show after her arrest following a row with boyfriend Lewis Burton at her home.

The presenter, 40, broke her silence on Instagram and wrote: ‘There have been a significant number of media reports and allegations in regard to my personal life.

‘While matters were not as have been reported I am committed to co-operating with the appropriate authorities and I can’t comment further on these matters until the legal process is over.

‘However Love Island has been my world for the last five years, it’s the best show on telly. In order not to detract attention from the upcoming series I feel the best thing I can do is stand down from Series 6.

‘I want to wish the incredible team working on the show a fantastic series in Cape Town.’

Caroline continued: ‘And on a really personal level. I have never experienced such kindness and love in my whole life.

‘Not just from friends and family who are always the greatest but also from total strangers who send messages to me offering help and understanding… Please know that I see them and my boyfriend Lewis. I love you x.’

An ITV spokesperson told MailOnline shortly after her post: ‘ITV has a long standing relationship with Caroline and we understand and accept her decision.

‘We will remain in contact with her over the coming months about future series of Love Island.’

A source also told MailOnline: ‘The door is firmly open to Caroline.’ 

In the early hours of Thursday morning, six police cars were seen outside Caroline’s London home. 

A spokesman for the presenter said in a statement at the time: ‘We confirm that police attended Caroline’s home following a private domestic incident.

‘She is co-operating with the appropriate people to resolve matters. We will not be making any further comment for legal reasons.’ 

Fans took to Twitter at the time to explain who they wanted to replace Caroline, and gushed over Maya and claimed she was the best person for the job. 

Putting their point across succinctly, one said, ‘MAYA JAMA YOUR TIME IS NOW’, while another kept things simple by explaining, ‘Maya Jama > Caroline Flack.’ 

Taking a light-hearted approach to the news, another said: ‘if love island get rid of Caroline Flack and give us maya jama everyones skin will clear up, the planet will be saved, the ocean will be clean, world hunger solved. I could go on.’

While one fan shared a video of Maya strutting down the street in a glamorous dress and wrote: ‘There’s only one woman who can replace Caroline Flack on Love Island, am I right ladies @mayajama’

TV presenter Rick Edwards made a cheeky remark following the news, as he wrote: ‘Well, ITV2. I’m pretty free in January, I’ll happily travel to South Africa, and I’ve never been charged with assault.’ 

Other people who were suggested to take over the position include Gemma Collins, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly, Amber Rose Gill, and even Geordie Shore’s Scotty T. 

One fan wrote on Twitter: ‘Now that Caroline flacks is a criminal I think it’s only fair for GC Gemma collz to be the loveisland presenter.’

While another said of the TOWIE star, ‘can today’s silver lining PLEASE be gemma collins to replace caroline flack as presenter of love island ? (sic)’

Suggesting several people for the job, one continued: ‘Either @MayaJama @EmAtack or @thewhitmore should definitely present #LoveIsland for sure time for a change get rid of Caroline @itv2’

And one viewer jokingly wrote: ‘for real. the new #loveisland starts soon. @AmberRoseGill can present the show while the flack deals with her uhm… legal troubles.’   

A Met Police spokesman told MailOnline on Friday: ‘Caroline Flack, 40, of Islington was charged on Friday, 13 December with assault by beating. She will appear on bail at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, 23 December.

‘This follows an incident at approximately 05:25hrs on Thursday, 12 December after reports of a man being assaulted. He was not seriously injured.’

The man was treated by paramedics and a London Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘We were called yesterday (Thursday 12 December) at 5.28am to reports of a person unwell in Islington.

‘We sent an ambulance to the scene and took a person to hospital.’

Police said he had ‘sustained injuries’. The spokesman added: ‘Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service.

‘A man sustained injuries, which are not thought to be serious. A woman was arrested at the location on suspicion of actual bodily harm.’  

Should ITV bosses go in the direction of hiring a new presenter for winter Love Island their decision will prove costly, as all of her promotional material for the dating show will need to be reshot.

Insiders previously confirmed to MailOnline that staff working on the show are jetting off to Cape Town, South Africa, on New Year’s Day (January 1).

Caroline and her tennis player and model boyfriend Lewis have been in a relationship since July. 

Their relationship seemed to be on the rocks when they in a furious argument during their Spanish holiday in October.

Caroline was pictured engaging in a tense discussion with Lewis as they sat on board a luxury vessel while out at sea with a group of their friends in Ibiza. 

In August, a source told The Sun the couple that Caroline and Lewis had ‘really hit it off’ after being ‘introduced through mutual friends.’

Lewis is currently signed to Select Model Management following his stint as a professional tennis player.

The hunk began playing the sport at the tender age of seven, and reached a career high when he played the final of the boys’ doubles with George Morgan at Wimbledon in 2010.

Lewis played his last game in professional tennis with Marcus Willis at the Great Britain F2 in Sunderland back in January 2015.

Earlier this year, Caroline embarked on a short-lived romance with rugby player Danny Cipriani, 31, before their relationship fizzled out in May. She was previously engaged to Apprentice star Andrew Brady for just under a year back in 2018.

She previously romanced stars such as former X Factor co-star Olly Murs, 35, musician Harry Styles, 25, and music manager Jack Street, 31. 

Last month, Caroline was forced to shut down rumours that she and Lewis were engaged to one another, with her rep saying it’s ‘100% not true.’ 

While celebrating her 40th birthday that month, she addressed the milestone birthday in an Instagram Story, admitting she was ‘utterly grateful’ for everything. 

She wrote: ‘Jesus… Last day of my 30s …. and what a ride it’s been so far,’ she wrote. ‘Feeling so utterly grateful for EVERYTHING in my life right now.’ 

The news comes just weeks after Caroline’s ex Andrew Brady branded their relationship toxic.

He went on Instagram to reveal he had covered a tattoo of her initials which he had on his wrist to mark a year since the pair’s relationship ended.

The former Apprentice star, 29, took to Instagram as he visited Bondi Ink to have the ‘CF’ covered with the shape of Australia. 

Andrew was engaged to Caroline last year but since they split – which he said ‘probably saved his life’ – he has relocated to Sydney. 

In a series of stories Andrew smiled as he prepared to go under the needle and wrote a message to explain why he decided to get some new ink.

He wrote: ‘It’s exactly a year tomorrow since I left a very toxic relationship and got away. 

‘Leaving probably saved my life. I mark it one year on by doing something I should have done a while ago’ 

After having his new tattoo Andrew shared another video where he thanks Bondi Ink for ‘covering up this absolute monstrosity.’

He continued: ‘So moral of the story is don’t get your partner’s initials tattooed on you because when it all goes t**s up you’re gonna have to get it covered up.’