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Laura Whitmore
Laura Whitmore
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Laura Whitmore (born 4 May 1985) is an Irish media personality, model, and actress based in London. She was a video jockey for MTV in 2008, and has since presented television shows, such as This Morning (2014), Survival of the Fittest (2018), and Love Island (2020–2022). In 2020, Whitmore became a team captain on the comedy panel show Celebrity Juice. In 2023, Whitmore hosted her first ITV1 chat show Laura Whitmore's Breakfast Show and released her own one-off ITVX documentary series Laura Whitmore Investigates.

Key Information

Early life

[edit]

Whitmore was born in Dublin on 4 May 1985.[1][2][3] She has two half-brothers.[4] She grew up in Bray, County Wicklow, where she attended Loreto Secondary School, before studying journalism at Dublin City University.

Career

[edit]

Television

[edit]

In April 2008, MTV Networks Europe launched a campaign Pick Me MTV[5] where Whitmore competed to become the face of MTV News in MTV Europe. She won the competition, and between 2008 and 2015 hosted news bulletins for MTV across Europe. She was regularly seen on MTV News hosting special events in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe.[6]

For five series from 2011, Whitmore hosted I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! on ITV2 airing immediately after I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! .[7] Whitmore announced on 14 April 2016 that she was leaving the show.[8]

In the summer of 2012, she appeared on the RTÉ television talk show, Saturday Night with Miriam, after carrying the 2012 Summer Olympics torch.[9]

A pilot episode of songwriting-based talent show The Hit aired in September 2012 on RTÉ Two, hosted by Whitmore. On 15 March 2013, RTÉ announced that the show had been ordered for a full series which was broadcast in the summer, but Whitmore would not host due to a conflicting schedule in London.[10] Aidan Power and Nicky Byrne presented the full series.

In April 2014, she co-hosted the 11th Irish Film & Television Awards with Simon Delaney.[11]

In 2014, she joined the BBC Eurovision team as a commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 semi-finals in Copenhagen, Denmark alongside Scott Mills on BBC Three. She replaced Ana Matronic in the role,[12] but did not return in 2015. In 2014, she was an occasional presenter of "The Hub" section on ITV's This Morning.

On 24 October 2014, she appeared in Channel 4's The Feeling Nuts Comedy Night to raise awareness of testicular cancer.[13]

In February 2015, Whitmore left MTV News after seven years on the channel, but continued to present irregular segments and specials.[14][15] Her last bulletin with the station was recorded on 26 February 2015.[16]

On 10 August 2016, Whitmore took part in the fourteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, beginning September 2016.[17] She was partnered with Italian dancer Giovanni Pernice and was the sixth contestant to be voted out, on 5 November 2016, following a dance off with eventual series champions Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton. She was the first contestant to complain of her treatment by Pernice saying “I was extremely uncomfortable with him. In the end, I felt broken. I cried every day.”[18]

In 2018, she presented Survival of the Fittest, a reality series for ITV2, alongside comedian Brennan Reece.[19]

On 20 December 2019, it was announced that Whitmore would host the sixth series of ITV2's Love Island in 2020 after Caroline Flack was arrested for assaulting her partner Lewis Burton.[20][21] Following Flack's death while that was airing, Whitmore returned for the seventh series in June 2021.

At the series 16 finale of Love Island, Laura Whitmore did a quick 20-second tribute before the start of the final, following highlights of Flack's time as host of Love Island.

On 23 August 2022, it was announced that Whitmore would step down from hosting Love Island. One of the reasons for stepping down was Whitmore's new projects that were conflicting with her commitment to Love Island.[22]

In April 2023, Whitmore began hosting her chatshow Laura Whitmore's Breakfast Show on ITV1 where she invites celebrity guests into her studio for a chat every Sunday at 8:30 am.[citation needed]

In July 2023, she released her ITVX documentary series Laura Whitmore Investigates which explores a number of controversial topics and the impact they have had on the world.[citation needed]

Other work

[edit]

In 2003, Whitmore was a contestant in a modelling talent search on RTÉ One's The Late Late Show, reaching the final 15 of the competition.[23]

In August 2009, she launched a self-branded clothing range available at A Wear.[24]

In 2011, she appeared on the September cover of FHM magazine.[25]

Whitmore is a spokeswoman for the Because I Am a Girl charity clothing campaign.[26]

She collaborated with Daisy London on a jewellery collection in October 2015. The collection was inspired by music and features the recurring shape of the plectrum throughout.[27][28]

In October 2014, she launched Misstache for Movember, a campaign for women to support and raise awareness of the men's health charity.[29]

She appeared on FHM's 100 Sexiest 2015 list at number 37.[30]

She features in the music video for "Skip to the Good Bit", a song by Rizzle Kicks and the music video for "Mark My Words" by The Coronas. In 2017, she played Cleo Morey alongside Shane Richie, Bill Ward and Stephen Billington in the stage adaptation of the Peter James book Not Dead Enough.

She hosted a weekly Sunday morning radio show on BBC Radio 5 Live between 2018 and 2022.[31][32]

In September 2020, she was announced by Nintendo UK as a brand ambassador for the Nintendo Switch game Ring Fit Adventure and began appearing in a TV advertisement for the game.[33]

On 4 March 2021, Whitmore's first book titled No One Can Change Your Life Except For You was released.[34] In August 2022, it was announced that Whitmore would be joining the cast of 2:22 A Ghost Story on West End.[35][36]

In November 2023 it was announced that Whitmore was cast in a lead role in the feature film ‘'A Mother for an Hour'’ which was due for release in 2024.[37]

Since November 2023, Whitmore co-hosts a BBC Radio podcast alongside husband Iain Stirling entitled "Murder They Wrote with Laura Whitmore and Iain Stirling" in which they present true crime stories.[38]

Whitmore will be starring in the lead role as Rachel Watson in the stage production The Girl on the Train from June to August 2025.

Personal life

[edit]

As of 2018, Whitmore lived in the Camden area of London.[39] She married Scottish comedian Iain Stirling in a private humanist ceremony in 2020 at Dublin City Hall.[40] Whitmore gave birth to their daughter in late March 2021.[41][42]

Filmography

[edit]
Year Title Role
2013 Isle of Wight Festival Co-presenter
2008–2015 MTV News Ireland Presenter [43]
2011–2015 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! Anchor
2012 Beat TV Co-presenter
The Hit (pilot) Presenter
2012–2016 The Hot Desk Presenter [44]
2012–2016 The Brits Backstage Co-presenter
2014 11th Irish Film & Television Awards
Eurovision Song Contest Semi-Finals
This Morning "The Hub" presenter [45]
2016 The Brits Are Coming Presenter [46]
V Festival 2016 Co-presenter
Strictly Come Dancing Contestant [47]
2018 Survival of the Fittest Presenter[48]
2019 Sadhbh Writer and actor[49]
2020–2022 Love Island Presenter[50]
Love Island: Aftersun
2020–present Celebrity Gogglebox Herself[51]
2020–2022 Celebrity Juice Team captain[52]
2023 Laura Whitmore’s Breakfast Show Host[53]
Laura Whitmore Investigates Host[54]

Music videos

[edit]
Year Title Artist
2012 "Mark My Words" The Coronas
2013 "Let's skip to the good bit" Rizzel Kicks

Guest appearances

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Laura Whitmore (born 4 May 1985) is an Irish television presenter, actress, author, and broadcaster based in London.
Raised in Bray, County Wicklow, after her birth in Dublin, Whitmore studied journalism at Dublin City University, graduating in 2007, before launching her career by winning MTV's "Pick Me MTV" presenter competition in 2008, which secured her initial role as a video jockey for MTV Europe.
She rose to wider prominence hosting companion shows such as I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! Now and later taking over as presenter of ITV's Love Island from 2020 to 2022, during which she also captained a team on the comedy panel Celebrity Juice and hosted her own BBC Radio 5 Live weekend show.
Beyond presenting, Whitmore has acted in films like 4.3.2.1. (2010) and her self-written short Sadhbh (2020), for which she won Best Actress at an Irish film festival, and authored the book The A-Z of Normal on mental health; she has also produced investigative documentaries for ITVX exploring topics including cyberstalking, incels, and rough sex, amid her advocacy for women's safety.
Whitmore departed Love Island in 2022, citing its "difficult" elements after three seasons as host, and has publicly alleged experiencing "inappropriate behaviour" and subsequent gaslighting when raising concerns during her 2016 participation in Strictly Come Dancing, contributing to broader scrutiny of the show's professional conduct.

Early life

Upbringing and education

Laura Whitmore was born on 4 May 1985 in Dublin, Ireland, and raised in Bray, County Wicklow, by her mother, Carmel, following her parents' separation prior to her birth. She grew up with two half-brothers in the coastal town of Bray, developing an early interest in performing arts. For her secondary education, Whitmore attended in Bray. At age 18, in November 2003, she competed as a contestant named Laura Ann Whitmore in the Irish Supermodel of the Year competition, reaching the final fifteen and signaling early aspirations in media and public-facing roles. Whitmore pursued higher education in at , graduating in 2007 with first-class honors. During her final year, she studied abroad in the United States for five months, an experience she later described as heightening her sense of Irish identity. She also trained at the Leinster School of Music and , fostering skills in performance that complemented her journalistic studies. Following graduation, Whitmore relocated to in 2008, transitioning from her educational background to initial professional opportunities in .

Career

Early media work

Whitmore's entry into occurred in 2008 when she won the "Pick Me MTV" competition, a contest organized by to select a new presenter for its European segments, beating out thousands of applicants. This victory secured her position as a for , where she hosted daily bulletins and contributed to music programming. In this role, Whitmore frequently traveled across to cover events, festivals, and artist interviews, which honed her on-camera presence and live reporting abilities. She conducted interviews with prominent musicians and celebrities, building foundational skills in amid the fast-paced demands of music television. By around 2010, Whitmore began transitioning to opportunities with the , including guest appearances in formats that expanded her portfolio beyond MTV's music focus. These early stints involved shorter segments and collaborative presenting, allowing her to adapt to broadcasting styles while maintaining her emphasis on youth-oriented content.

Television presenting

Whitmore's television presenting career began with companion shows for major reality formats, starting with her role as co-host of ITV2's I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! NOW! from 2011 to 2015, where she provided backstage updates, interviews, and analysis alongside and following the main series hosted by and . This position marked her transition from video jockey roles to British primetime spin-offs, emphasizing her ability to handle live, high-energy coverage of celebrity challenges in the Australian jungle. In 2014, she expanded into event broadcasting by co-presenting the coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest's second semi-final from , , alongside , delivering commentary on performances from 15 competing acts and engaging viewers with on-site reporting. This live international event showcased her versatility beyond reality TV, involving real-time analysis of musical entries and audience voting mechanics. Whitmore returned to ITV2 in 2020 as a team captain on the comedy panel show Celebrity Juice, hosted by Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis), succeeding Holly Willoughby after 12 years; she participated in irreverent games and celebrity banter, contributing to the show's chaotic entertainment format until its conclusion. That same year, she assumed the hosting duties for Love Island following Caroline Flack's departure amid legal proceedings, presenting the sixth series from Mallorca, Spain, including live finale episodes, contestant interviews, and after-show discussions on Love Island: Aftersun. She continued for the seventh and eighth series in 2021 and 2022, focusing on audience engagement through social media tie-ins and on-site villa narration, before stepping down in August 2022 to pursue other projects. Her tenure on Love Island highlighted her command of unscripted reality dynamics, with episodes averaging millions of viewers per night during peak summer airings.

Radio and podcasting

Whitmore entered radio broadcasting with in May 2018, co-hosting the Afternoon Edition alongside , which paved the way for her independent slot. Later that year, she launched Laura Whitmore's Sunday Session, a weekly one-hour Sunday morning program featuring discussions on current issues, listener stories, and interviews with guests providing perspectives on news events. The show, which ran until July 2022, encompassed topics like news, sports, and cultural commentary, reflecting her broadening media presence amid her television commitments. She departed the program to pursue additional opportunities, with assuming the role thereafter. Transitioning toward digital audio formats, Whitmore hosted Castaway, a podcast dedicated to exploring the podcasting medium through interviews with prominent hosts and creators, such as Jamie Laing in April 2020 and Emily Atack in a later episode. This series highlighted her interest in audio storytelling and the evolving landscape of on-demand content, positioning her as a commentator on niche broadcasting trends. In November 2023, Whitmore co-launched Murder They Wrote with her husband, comedian , under and BBC Audio, focusing on narratives including murders, , and betrayals drawn from global cases. The weekly , which combines investigative recaps with personal commentary, has continued into 2025, exemplifying her shift from structured radio schedules to collaborative, serialized digital series that leverage her established voice for engaging, narrative-driven content. This project underscores a blend of her radio foundational experience with contemporary podcasting's flexibility, attracting listeners through its accessible dissection of infamous crimes.

Acting and theatre

Whitmore entered acting through supporting roles in films, including a part in the 2010 heist thriller and appearances in horror projects like (2012). In 2019, she wrote and starred as the lead in the short film , depicting a young mother grappling with postpartum challenges and external judgments, including scrutiny. For her performance in , Whitmore won the Ros Hubbard Award for Acting at the Irish Film Festival . Her theatre career gained prominence with a West End debut in 2022, portraying Jenny in the supernatural thriller at the . She reprised a role in the play's 2024 Dublin production at the 3Olympia Theatre. In early 2025, Whitmore co-starred with in , a exploring parenthood pressures, at . Later that year, she assumed the lead role of Rachel Watson, an amid personal turmoil, in the UK tour of The Girl on the Train, adapted from Paula Hawkins' , with performances including a residency at The in Cork from June to August. Ahead of the Cork run, actress advised Whitmore that she would enjoy the venue's atmosphere. These stage roles have drawn on her prior experience in live , emphasizing real-time adaptability and audience interaction.

Writing and other ventures

Whitmore released her debut book, No One Can Change Your Life Except For You: A Witty, Warm and Wise Memoir of Self-Discovery, on 4 March 2021 through . The work chronicles her personal journey through self-doubt, heartbreak, concerns, and insecurity, advocating for optimism, self-belief, and individual agency as pathways to fulfillment. Drawing from her experiences in media and relationships, Whitmore positions the narrative as a guide to reclaiming control, distinct from external validation. Beyond authorship, Whitmore has engaged in modeling, leveraging her early MTV visibility to feature in campaigns and red-carpet appearances that extend her media persona into commercial endorsements. These efforts reflect entrepreneurial diversification, including product collaborations promoted via her personal website. In 2025, Whitmore participated in Dublin City University's Voices spotlight, highlighting her multifaceted pursuits as an author amid reflections on and evolution. She also discussed professional pivots in Irish media outlets, emphasizing adaptability in creative ventures post-broadcasting peaks.

Personal life

Relationships and marriage

Whitmore dated Irish musician Danny O'Reilly, frontman of The Corrs' backing band, from 2010 to 2013. She later had a brief relationship with British musician in 2013, followed by a romance with Sunset Sons singer from mid-2015 to 2016. In 2016, she was linked to Scottish actor . In 2017, Whitmore began dating Scottish comedian Iain Stirling, whom she met through mutual contacts in the UK television industry prior to her hosting role on Love Island, where Stirling serves as narrator. The couple moved in together in London in June 2018. Stirling proposed early in 2020, and they married in an intimate civil ceremony at Dublin City Hall on 11 November 2020, limited by COVID-19 restrictions to immediate family. Whitmore and Stirling have shared select moments of their relationship on , such as wedding photos released in 2021 and collaborative podcast announcements, while emphasizing boundaries on personal disclosures to protect their privacy. Despite separation rumors in mid-2024, the couple confirmed their ongoing marriage in November 2024 and continued joint professional ventures into 2025.

Family and parenthood

Whitmore and her husband, , welcomed their first child, a named Stevie Ré, in March 2021. The couple announced the birth publicly via in early April 2021, with Whitmore sharing a of the newborn and expressing delight at the new family addition amid the challenges of early parenthood. Whitmore was in the early stages of motherhood while continuing to host the high-pressure Love Island series in summer 2021, a period she later described as overwhelming due to public scrutiny and the demands of new parenthood, including instances of online "mum shaming." She announced her in December 2020, noting it occurred during a national that added to the emotional strain, yet she persisted with professional commitments like filming . Following her departure from Love Island after the 2022 series, Whitmore cited the show's grueling schedule—including extensive travel—as incompatible with family priorities, stating it necessitated a shift to protect her well-being and home life. In subsequent reflections, she has emphasized how motherhood altered her perspective, enhancing her confidence and prompting a reevaluation of career demands in favor of boundaries that support . By 2025, Whitmore has balanced parenthood with selective projects, including appearances and ongoing work, while crediting motherhood with clarifying priorities and fostering greater self-assurance in professional choices. She has described the experience as transformative, improving her overall approach to work-life integration without diminishing her output in acting and media ventures.

Reception

Achievements and awards

Whitmore received the Ros Hubbard Award for at the Irish Film Festival in 2019 for her role in the short film , which she also wrote. This accolade marked an early recognition of her transition into acting, following her media background. Multiple professional profiles confirm she was honored with for (also stylized as Sabhdh) at the Irish Film Awards, highlighting her debut performance in the project released in 2020. Her hosting of ITV's Love Island from 2020 to 2022 contributed to the program's sustained popularity, with episodes under her tenure achieving peak viewership of 2.8 million in June 2021 during competitive ratings periods against major sports broadcasts. The show, which earned BAFTA Television Awards during this era, underscored her role in delivering high-engagement entertainment, though the honors were production-wide rather than individual. In November 2024, Whitmore was awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Film at the Irish Post Awards, acknowledging her multifaceted work across media and arts. In 2025, she hosted the red carpet interviews at the BAFTA Television Awards, engaging with winners and reinforcing her status in broadcast events. That year, Dublin City University featured her in its Voices 2025 alumni spotlight series, profiling her career trajectory from journalism student to international media figure.

Public image and criticisms

Laura Whitmore has cultivated a public image as a resilient broadcaster who prioritizes and , particularly after stepping away from high-pressure roles like hosting Love Island. She has been praised for advocating against online abuse and , drawing from her experiences in the industry to promote and on platforms such as and interviews. This perception gained traction following her decision to leave Love Island in August 2022, citing unchangeable "difficult elements" of the show that impacted her well-being, a move viewed by supporters as an act of amid the scrutiny following Caroline Flack's death. Criticisms of Whitmore's tenure on Love Island, which began in 2020 as Flack's replacement, centered on her hosting style, with some viewers perceiving it as less engaging or improvisational compared to predecessors. Specific backlash arose from moments like her on-air request for contestant to perform a rap in 2022, which drew complaints for appearing unprepared and insensitive, prompting investigations into related episodes. Audience feedback also highlighted perceived bias toward certain couples and a lack of depth in after-show segments, contributing to debates about whether she adequately filled Flack's charismatic void. In response to such critiques and broader media , Whitmore has emphasized her agency in rejecting trivialization, stating in a interview that she had "had enough of being trivialised and gossiped about," opting instead to control narratives through her and public statements. She has defended the show's format against claims of while underscoring the mental toll of restricted on-air authenticity, such as prohibitions on directly checking contestants' well-being. This stance aligns with her advocacy for support in media, where she has shared seeking for industry pressures, positioning her departures—from Love Island to pursuits in and writing—as deliberate resilience rather than retreat.

Works

Filmography

Whitmore's on-screen credits include roles in feature films and television series, alongside hosting and panelist appearances on and programs. Her work as a presenter often involves live studio hosting for and formats. The following table lists selected film and television appearances chronologically:
Year(s)TitleRole/Notes
20104.3.2.1.Supporting actress
2012Storage 24Actress
2018Survival of the FittestHost
2018Finding JoyFlora (TV series)
2020–2022Love IslandHost (seasons 6–8)
2020SadhbhClaire (short film)
2020–2022Celebrity JuiceTeam captain (seasons 25–27)
2020–2022Love Island: AftersunHost
2021The Dumping GroundSavannah B (TV series)
2021–BufferingVic (TV series)
2024QueenieDoctor Ellison (TV series)
Additional guest appearances include episodes of panel shows such as Would I Lie to You? and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!. She also hosted the 2019 Hulu miniseries Four Weddings and a Funeral.

Discography appearances

Whitmore made cameo appearances in two music videos early in her career. In 2012, she portrayed the "Girl" in the Irish rock band The Coronas' video for their single "Mark My Words," directed by Aidan Brennan and released to promote the band's album The Way I Am. In 2013, she appeared as a "Party Guest" in the music video for Tinie Tempah's "Trampoline" (also known as "Skip to the Good Bit" in some edits), featuring Chance the Rapper, directed by Hiro Murai. These roles were minor and uncredited in broader production notes, aligning with her MTV presenting background rather than primary musical contributions. No vocal features, album credits, or discography releases under her name have been documented.

References

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