The host was accused of acting ‘in bad faith and to humiliate’.
Laura Whitmore has defended herself after she was accused of ‘humiliating’ a ‘broken’ Love Island contestant.
The presenter was hosting Sunday’s edition of Love Island: Aftersun in the aftermath of that night’s episode, which saw Remi Lambert dumped from the villa.
Lambert left the show after failing to be picked in the latest re-coupling, and was appearing on the ITV2 spin-off live from the island.
Although he wasn’t in the villa for long, lasting just six days, Lambert did have one memorable moment when he performed an on-the-spot rap for his fellow islanders.
So, when he appeared on Aftersun, Whitmore asked him to deliver an “exclusive rap.” Although it started well enough at first, the whole thing became increasingly awkward and he was unable to think of a final line.
Remi bombing on aftersun ☀️#LoveIsland pic.twitter.com/LxnUcxAwIB
— Andrew McBride (@andrewmcb) June 19, 2022
Some viewers felt this had been what Whitmore and the producers were hoping for.
Remi sat there clearly hurt & embarrassed yet they want him to rap ?? #loveisland #loveislandaftersun pic.twitter.com/jIaIo1BZdu
— Harper (@harperwyntr) June 19, 2022
The producers in Laura’s ear asking Remi to rap #loveislandaftersun #loveisland pic.twitter.com/04oNOJjPZv
— Alex (@alexr_241) June 19, 2022
Taking to Twitter, one viewer wrote: “Hope #LoveIsland supports Remi. He looked broken on #Loveislandaftersun. Asking him to rap was done in bad faith and to humiliate. I thought @thewhitmore & crew were supposed to ‘BE KIND?'”
https://twitter.com/Maya229Tweets/status/1538769448651395073
Whitmore has moved to clarifiy the situation, saying that Lambert had been asked in advance if he could prepare something for the show, and that perhaps it had been the “nerve wrecking” nature of live television that had caused the blunder.
Whitmore wrote on Twitter on Monday (20 June): “Remi is a rapper and asked in good faith in advance if he’d rap and prepare something which he did.
“Live telly is nerve wrecking, believe me, so maybe he was a bit nervous but he deserved to have his time. Also I want to make Remi & Afia happen!”
Remi is a rapper and asked in good faith in advance if he’d rap and prepare something which he did. Live Telly is nerve wrecking, believe me, so maybe he was a bit nervous but he deserved to have his time. Also I want to make Remi & Afia happen! ❤️ https://t.co/Rw3KWdp9b7
— Laura Whitmore ⚡️ (@thewhitmore) June 20, 2022
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