When Laura Whitmore stepped in to replace her friend Caroline Flack as the host of Love Island, she was solidified as one of ITV’s golden girls.
However, after stepping away from several TV and radio roles and becoming increasingly vocal on social media, it seems viewers have turned their backs on her, with her current career far removed from her reality TV success.
Despite starting her career as a showbiz reporter for MTV, the Irish presenter has been quick to speak out against claims she disagrees with, even criticizing ITV bosses after her Love Island exit.
Laura Whitmore also found herself caught up in a feud with an Irish journalist after the birth of her daughter in 2021, calling them “vile” for politely asking about rumors surrounding her baby’s name.
Once the host of a breakfast show on BBC Radio 5 Live, in recent years Laura has been leading a lesser-known podcast about true crime with her husband, Iain Stirling.
While she has been promoting her stage work on social media, it’s likely earning her significantly less than the hefty salary she made as the host of Love Island.
Laura Whitmore hosted Love Island from 2020 to 2022 but ultimately quit, stating that she would have stayed if she had more freedom in her role.
Despite a net worth of £12 million, her theatre work likely pays much less than her Love Island salary, though she denied reports claiming she was paid £600,000 for her time on the show.
Experts at What’s On Stage suggest that stage performers can earn around £1,430 a week, depending on audience numbers.
Earlier this year, her Prime Video series Date My Mate was also canceled after just one season.
Meanwhile, her husband, Iain Stirling, who narrates Love Island and tours as a stand-up comedian, was reportedly earning a solid income, with his company Stirling Limited showing an annual profit of £540,245 in 2019.
Since leaving Love Island, Laura has been vocal about her departure, sharing the reasons behind it. She admitted, “If I could [have done] things the way I wanted to, I’d probably still be doing it.”
She revealed that she struggled to remain impartial on the show, often feeling the urge to voice her opinions on the events in the villa and check in with the Islanders about how they were coping after their time on the show.
Laura Whitmore explained that when it came to supporting the contestants on Love Island, there was only so much she could do as a host. She couldn’t openly support or oppose them, and she wasn’t allowed to say anything.
She admitted, “You kind of have to go quiet, and that was hard for me because I like to be able to have those conversations. If I could [have done] things the way I wanted to, I’d probably still be doing it.”
After Caroline Flack’s death in 2020, Laura fully embraced Caroline’s “Be Kind” mantra and fiercely hit out at trolls. This led some TV bosses to feel she was less reliable to work with.
In 2021, she clashed with an Irish journalist, Niamh Walsh, who had emailed her representatives about her daughter’s name. Instead of a private response, Laura posted the journalist’s inquiry on social media, calling it “vile” and accusing Walsh of pressuring her to comment.
Laura wrote, “I’ll talk about my child on my terms when I choose.” This response was seen by some as not entirely aligned with the kindness and respect she had previously urged in her dedication to Caroline Flack, who had called for everyone to “be kind” and take responsibility for how they treat others.
Laura also became involved in a controversy surrounding Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice, after his celebrity partner Amanda Abbington claimed that their time together on the show caused her to develop PTSD.
In 2018, Laura Whitmore opened up about her challenging experience on Strictly Come Dancing, revealing that she didn’t enjoy her time with Giovanni Pernice. She left the competition in week seven feeling “broken” and admitted that she “cried every day.”
Over the weekend, Laura marked the anniversary of Caroline Flack’s death by sharing their emotional last exchange of messages. Caroline tragically passed away on February 15, 2020, at the age of 40, with her death ruled a suicide following an inquest in August of that year.
In her post, Laura shared a throwback photo of the two of them, alongside the heartfelt messages they exchanged just weeks before Caroline’s passing. In one text, Caroline—saved as “Flacky” in Laura’s phone—expressed her hope that Laura would take over her role on Love Island after stepping down due to her arrest for alleged assault. Caroline wrote: “I hope you are doing the job… I wouldn’t want it to be anyone else.”
Laura replied, thanking Caroline for the lovely message and mentioned that she had met with producers, though nothing was confirmed yet. After landing the role, Laura shared the news with Caroline before it became public, promising to “do my very best to give it the justice it deserves.” Caroline responded with a red heart emoji and said, “I’m glad it’s you.”
Laura took over as Love Island host in December 2019, but stepped down after the 2022 series, with Maya Jama later taking over.
In a heartfelt caption alongside the post, Laura reflected on Caroline’s support and how it “really hit me hard” reading their final exchange. She shared that she had recently got a new phone and, while trying to download old WhatsApp messages, found ones she thought she had lost years ago.
Laura wrote, “Looking at messages I’ve never publicly shared as they were private… She wasn’t perfect and I didn’t know her as well as others, but I knew she had her demons.” She went on to recall their first meeting in 2011 when she took over from Caroline to host I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here Now! and how Caroline was supportive back then, just as she was when Laura took over Love Island in 2020.
Laura continued, “I will always be so thankful for the last messages between me and Caroline. I never asked her about the court case—it wasn’t my business. I didn’t know her partner at the time and still don’t.”
She also revealed that she had turned down the opportunity to appear in the upcoming Disney+ documentary about Caroline, saying, “Every time I’ve been asked to speak about the situation or be part of a documentary, I decline. I’ve already said all I can say on the tragedy and don’t want words to be misconstrued. I need to look after my own mental health.”
“This was the last correspondence I ever had with her,” Laura concluded.
Laura Whitmore reflected on her last message with Caroline Flack, recalling that she had hoped Caroline was in a peaceful and happy place, such as a spa, retreat, or rehab, unaware of the extent of her struggles. She cherished the love hearts Caroline sent in their final exchange and hoped that, wherever Caroline is now, she has found peace.
Laura has faced her own share of online abuse, especially after sharing images of her baby while returning to work on Celebrity Juice. In response, she posted a message encouraging others to support women, saying, “Support other women, it doesn’t knock you – in fact it empowers you. Just a thought.”
In the wake of Caroline’s passing, Laura expressed how honored she felt to take over as Love Island host, hoping it would serve as a fitting tribute to her friend. However, Caroline’s mother, Christine, voiced a different perspective. In a 2021 interview, Christine criticized those she considered “fake” in their grief and referred to Laura as “the girl that’s taken her place.” She also accused ITV bosses of showing a lack of respect for axing Caroline after her arrest, feeling that the transition to Laura was done without sufficient regard.
Christine shared her discomfort with how the show continued with a host who seemed to mimic Caroline’s style, saying, “I think ITV2 could have done it a little differently.” She also took issue with those who publicly grieved Caroline, stating that the people truly close to her were Natalie Pinkham and Dawn O’Porter.
Since leaving Love Island in 2022, Laura has shifted her career focus toward acting and more serious topics, including hosting the BBC Sounds podcast Murder They Wrote with her husband, Iain Stirling. The couple married privately in Dublin in 2020 and welcomed a daughter in 2021. Laura had previously co-hosted I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here Now! and led the short-lived ITV2 series Survival of the Fittest in 2018.
Now, Laura is involved in theater, having appeared in the play 2:22 A Ghost Story and preparing to perform in Apex Predator at London’s Hampstead Theatre next month. She is also set to star in a stage adaptation of the best-selling novel The Girl on the Train in June.