ITV PLUNGED INTO CRISIS
Bosses WILL show rest of Love Island despite four tragedies
ITV was facing a reality show crisis last night after presenter Caroline Flack took her own life.
But after talks yesterday, the broadcaster decided to push ahead with the current series of Love Island.
Formerly fronted by Miss Flack, it had already come under intense scrutiny after the suicides of two former contestants in the past two years.
Two episodes of the ITV2 dating show were cancelled over the weekend but it is set to return tonight with a tribute to its former host.
Miss Flack stepped down from her presenting role in December after she was arrested for an alleged assault on her boyfriend Lewis Burton. The decision to press on with the show, which is due to finish next weekend, shocked industry insiders who expected the broadcaster to cancel it after her death.
Two former contestants – Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis – have taken their lives over the past two years, and Miss Gradon’s boyfriend also killed himself weeks after her death.
One of ITV’s most high-profile presenters, Eamonn Holmes, questioned whether the series should continue out of ‘respect’ for Miss Flack. He tweeted: ‘ Caroline Flack... Dear God. Shocked beyond belief. May she have found peace. Has to be repercussions for Love Island now surely?’
He later added: ‘Meaning out of respect, can the series continue?’
The main sponsors of Love Island, takeaway service Just Eat, said it was backing ITV’s decision to pull episodes at the weekend.
Yesterday sources at the broadcaster defended it against suggestions it had not supported Miss Flack enough after her arrest and charge for assaulting Mr Burton.
An ITV insider said: ‘We have been in contact with her and her agent numerous times from the time of the incident in December. We had offered our support to her. We had asked and got reassurances that she was seeking whatever support port she needed to help her through this period. We offered our own help and said it is available to her. Caroline and her team were managing their way through that and we offered to provide any supthat might be necessary or appropriate.’ The source added: ‘Caroline had an enduring relationship with the Love Island team, with [presenter] Laura Whitmore and [ narrator] Iain Stirling. Despite what was happening in her personal life Caroline always indicated her positivity towards Love Island and its place in her life.’
Confirming the show would be broadcast tonight, an ITV spokesman said: ‘Many people at ITV knew Caroline well and held her in great affection. All of us are absolutely devastated.’ He added: ‘Love Island will return on Monday, which will include a tribute to Caroline who will be forever in our hearts.’
Miss Flack is the fourth person linked to the programme to have killed themselves. Contestant Miss Gradon, who took part in the 2016 series, was found dead in 2018 aged 32. Her boyfriend Aaron Armstrong, 25, killed himself three weeks later. Mike Thalassitis, who took part in the show in 2017, was 26 when he was found dead last year.
Online critics yesterday questioned why the show was still on air after four deaths when the Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled after one.
‘May she have found peace’