Love Island: Laura Whitmore says she hopes 2021 series ‘does Caroline Flack proud’

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Laura Whitmore has asked Love Island viewers to show compassion to the show’s new contestants in honour of Caroline Flack.

On Monday (21 June), the new cast of islanders was announced, with 11 singles getting ready to head to the villa in search of love.

Posting on social media, presenter Whitmore, who first hosted the winter series of Love Island in 2020, called on the show’s viewers to be kind to the new batch of competitors.

“I think we’re all ready for some love! Ahhhhhh! So excited to watch the new islanders,” Whitmore wrote.

“Hope you enjoy talking about them and following their journey and just a reminder to treat them with love, compassion and respect when they leave the show and go back to real life.”

She added: “Caroline I hope we do you proud. One week to go.”

Flack hosted the first five series of Love Island, but stepped down from the sixth run in 2019 when she was replaced by Whitmore. The former host died by suicide in February 2020.

New welfare measures have been put in place for contestants on the forthcoming series of Love Island, with islanders offered “comprehensive” psychological support as opposed to the “enhanced” support they were previously given.

They will also be taught how to handle the “potential negativity” of social media as part of the ITV2 show’s latest duty of care protocols.

Love Island begins Monday 28 June at 9pm on ITV2.