On Air Now
The Capital Evening Show with Jimmy Hill 7pm - 10pm
Love Island Host Laura Whitmore Sends Boyfriend Iain Stirling Sweet Message After Caroline Flack Tribute Airs On Monday Night
18 February 2020, 12:18
Laura Whitmore showed her support for boyfriend Iain Stirling on Monday night, after his heartfelt tribute message to Caroline Flack at the start of Love Island.
After ITV cancelled Sunday night’s Love Island episode out of respect to Caroline Flack and her family, the show returned on Monday with a touching tribute to the former host who died by suicide on Saturday 15 February, aged 40.
Voiceover Iain Stirling opened the show by reading out a heartfelt message dedicated to the late TV presenter, as a montage of the stunning South Africa shoreline played instead of the opening credits.
Taking to Twitter after her boyfriend’s emotional tribute aired at 9pm, Laura Whitmore – who stepped in as the show’s host when Caroline stepped down – showed her support.
She wrote: “Love you @IainDoesJoes I know that wasn’t easy,” alongside a red heart and a kiss.
Laura was also flooded with supportive messages from fans of the show, with many saying: “This must not be easy for any of you.”
During the sweet montage, Iain said: “We are absolutely devastated by the tragic news that Caroline, a much-loved member of our Love Island family, has passed away.
"Caroline and me were together from the very start of Love Island and her passion, warmth and infectious enthusiasm were a crucial part of what made the show connect with millions of viewers.
"Like many of you, right now we're all just trying to come to terms with what's happened. My only hope is that we can all try to be kinder, always show love and listen to one another.
"Caroline, I want to thank you for all the fun times we had making our favourite show.”
The tribute ended with a picture of Caroline on the screen.
Love Island also swapped out their Just Eat sponsored adverts for a message urging viewers to ‘be kind’, attaching the number to the Samaritans underneath.
ITV cancelled its highlights show on Saturday and the main show on Sunday after Caroline was found dead at her flat in London on Saturday afternoon.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, contact The Samaritans at samaritans.org or call on 116 123.
> Download Our App For All The Latest News
