Laura Whitmore lands new role hosting weekend chat show

The former Love Island presenter, who stepped down from her role last year, will front a new lifestyle and entertainment series.

The show’s name and premise have not yet been revealed, but ITV bosses have said that it will debut across ITV1 and ITVX this spring.

Airing on Sunday mornings, it will see Laura interview a “compelling combination” of celebrity guests and host topical chats.

Katie Rawcliffe, Head of Entertainment Commissioning for ITV and ITVX, said that Laura was the perfect pick for the role, as producers were on the hunt for presenters “who bring energy and flair to our weekend schedules” to “give viewers that perfect weekend wakeup call”.

Laura has been busy lately, as it was recently announced that she had joined the cast of her husband Iain Stirling’s sitcom, Buffering.

The 37-year-old will appear as a guest star in the show’s second season alongside The Inbetweeners’ Emily Atack, It’s A Sin’s David Carlyle, Game of Thrones star Tony Way, The Xtra Factor’s Melvin Odoom, The Last Heist’s Tyne-Lexy Clarson, comedian Sophie Duker, and Coronation Street alum Gordon Kane.

Buffering was created by and stars BAFTA-winning comedian and Love Island narrator Iain Stirling with co-creator and co-star Steve Bugeja.

Laura’s new roles come after the new series of Love Island kicked off last month, with Maya Jama taking over from the Bray native after three seasons as the face of the show.

Laura announced her departure from Love Island last August, stating that she found “certain elements of the show" to be “very difficult.”

Speaking to Psychologies Magazine last month, Laura said that she loved working on Love Island, but struggled with the impartial nature of hosting duties, especially when it came to supporting contestants on the show.

“There was only so much I can do as a host – I couldn’t support them or not support them. I couldn’t say anything,” she said.

“So 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.”