Caroline Flack has broken her silence after being replaced as the host of Love Island.
Earlier this week, it was revealed that Laura Whitmore would take over as the presenter of the winter version of the ITV2 reality series after Flack quit following an assault charge.
Flack was arrested on Thursday 12 December after an altercation that was believed to involve her boyfriend Lewis Burton at their shared home in Islington.
Onlookers said there were six police cars present, as well as an ambulance.
Following the announcement, Whitmore – who is in a relationship with the reality show’s narrator Iain Stirling – wrote on Instagram: “To say I’m excited to be heading to Cape Town to host Love Island, the biggest show on television, is an understatement.”
Flack responded to the news on her own Instagram page, writing: ”I’m glad it’s Laura. She loves the show as much as I do.”
She added that she was having “a really rough time”.
“I’m doing all I can to keep my head above water and sort this all out,” she told her followers.
In a statement, ITV confirmed Irish presenter Whitmore would host the sixth series of the show, which will launch on 12 January 2020.
“The first series of the year comes from a brand new location and villa in Cape Town,” said the broadcaster, “where a host of new Islanders will try to win the hearts of each other – and the nation – in the ultimate search for love."
A spokesperson for ITV said the channel "accepted" Flack's decision and "will remain in contact with her over the coming months about future series of Love Island".
