Love Island: ITV to announce Laura Whitmore WILL replace Caroline Flack as presenter

She is the odds-on favourite to replace Caroline Flack as the host of Love Island after she stepped down as the host of season six on Tuesday following her assault charge.

And MailOnline can reveal that ITV are gearing up to announce that Irish presenter, Laura Whitmore, WILL host the show, as bosses are ‘keen to keep it in the family.’ 

Laura, 34, is good friends with Caroline, 40,  and she is also dating the show’s voiceover, Iain Stirling, 31, and she already knows the crew well through Iain.

Moreover, ITV want Laura and Iain to co-present the spin-off show, Aftersun, on Sunday nights as they have a great dynamic, meaning he will get a bigger role. 

No doubt Laura, who has a squeaky clean image, is a safe choice for the channel who won’t want to take any risks with who they hire. 

They will already have to pay for costly reshoots after Caroline had already filmed promotional material in South Africa for the show which will begin on January 12. 

The decision comes a year after Holly Willoughby, 38, was chosen to step in for embattled Ant McPartlin, 44, on I’m A Celebrity when he took a year off to battle his personal demons. 

Holly is close friends with both Ant and Declan Donnelly, also 44, which meant there was a sense that she was keeping his seat warm, rather than taking over or causing any sort of rivalry. 

On Tuesday, it was reported that Laura met with bosses in secret to discuss the possibility of the role , following Caroline’s decision to quit. 

She reportedly ‘had a chat’ with producers about hosting the upcoming debut winter series in January, with an insider claiming she was ‘open’ to the idea almost as soon as Caroline announced her departure. 

A source had told The Sun: ‘It’s an amazing job, every TV presenter in Britain wants it, so of course Laura was open to speaking to bosses about it.

‘She’s already had a chat about it – as soon as Caroline quit, they needed to sign someone up asap. 

‘Laura already knows the production crew from when she goes out to visit Iain on location, and bosses from her previous jobs on ITV.’

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Love Island for comment. 

Laura is no stranger to presenting a Love Island-esque reality show for ITV, as she presented Survival Of The Fittest in January 2018. 

Figures released by Boylesports tipped the star as the bookies favourite to take over the job, with odds of 11/8.  

It comes after fans were quick to share their views on who should take over from Caroline for the new series, with opinion seemingly split on who would best fit the coveted role.

Joining Laura as a frontrunner were Maya Jama, 24, and Emily Atack, 29, with odds on the stars emerging mere minutes after Caroline announced her exit.

Writing in favour of Laura, one fan wrote: ‘Laura Whitmore is Iain’s partner so think it will be her to replace Caroline.’ 

Another thought Maya would be the right choice, tweeting: ‘Caroline Flack has quit as Love Island host. That can only mean one thing… welcome Maya Jama.’ 

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, although Maura has since been ruled out.

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. 

As fans shared their views around who should replace Caroline, many took the chance to flood social media with a sea of hilarious memes. 

Caroline stepped down from Love Island after her arrest following a row with boyfriend Lewis at her home.

The presenter 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.’  

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.’  

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.’