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TL;DR: 

  • Love Island host Laura Whitmore has quit the show. 
  • Whitmore, who’s hosted the U.K. version of the popular reality show for the past three seasons, says travel requirements and conflicting projects were behind her decision to leave the series. 
  • Whitmore took over from previous host Caroline Flack, who died in 2020.
'Love Island' host Laura Whitmore DJing at an event
Laura Whitmore | David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Lipsy London

Laura Whitmore has quit Love Island. The Irish model and TV presenter made the announcement in an August 22 social media update. She said the show’s travel demands combined with her desire to pursue other projects were behind her decision to move on from the popular reality series. 

‘Love Island’ host Laura Whitmore found ‘certain elements of the show … very difficult’   

Whitmore took to Instagram to reveal that she’d be leaving Love Island ahead of its next season.

“Some news! I won’t be hosting the next series of Love Island,” she wrote. “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.” 

Two more seasons of Love Island are on the horizon for 2023, U.K. broadcaster ITV confirmed in June. A fresh batch of Islanders will head to a new villa in South Africa in January, followed by a Mallorca-set season that will air in the summer. 

She replaced previous ‘Love Island’ host Caroline Flack

'Love Island' host Caroline Flack wearing a strapless top and with her hands on her hips
Caroline Flack in 2016 | Mike Marsland/Mike Marsland/WireImage

In her announcement, Whitmore said she initially planned to host Love Island for just one season. However, “it turned into 3 series.”

Whitmore made her debut as Love Island’s host in January 2020. She was a last-minute replacement for original host Caroline Flack, who stepped down in December 2019 following an altercation with her boyfriend that led to her being charged with assault. Flack died by suicide in February 2020, and Whitmore ended up hosting the show’s following two seasons. 

“I hope I did you proud Caroline,” Whitmore, who was a close friend of Flack, wrote on Instagram.

Whitmore teases new projects after making her announcement 

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After sharing the news that she was quitting Love Island, Whitmore teased a couple of previously announced upcoming projects. One is a new TV show titled Laura Whitmore Investigates. She’ll also be appearing on stage in London in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story starting September 6.

“Come see me on stage making my West End debut in this critically-acclaimed psychological thriller,” she wrote on Instagram.

ITV has said that they are looking forward to working with Whitmore on other projects.

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

The network hasn’t announced who will take over hosting duties from Whitmore. 

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