Love Island host Laura Whitmore has slammed claims she got the ITV2 job because of her husband Iain Stirling.
The dating show host took to social media to defend herself against the spiteful claims that she didn’t get the role on her own merit.
Former contestant Rachel Finni recently made the brutal comments during a podcast where she poked at the host saying she “isn’t a great presenter”.
She also added that she only secured the role because her husband Iain is the programme’s narrator.
The 36-year-old mum-of-one has since responded to the “horrible” remarks on her Instagram Stories.
She said: “I’ve worked in telly for 14 years. I won a competition to be the face of MTV and have stayed working from job to job.
(Image: Jonathan Hordle/REX/Shutterstock)
“I’ve done incredible things all over the world, with the best teams, but I’ve never got a job because of a guy I dated.
“And it’s horrible when you see it coming from other women because for so many years women have talked about who they are going out with.”
She continued: “They’re only defined by who they are going out with, despite all the work and build up leading up to that and they are their own individual person, with their own experience.
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hard Rock Hotel London)
“It’s a shame because I think we’re never really going to have full power and empowerment as a sex if we keep doing that.”
Rachel made the claims while speaking to Murad Merali on his YouTube channel about the upcoming dating series which is set to start on June 6 and run for 10 weeks.
The ex-Islander said: “I’m kind of gutted Laura Whitmore is hosting it though, I thought we’d get a Maya Jama or AJ Odudu.
(Image: ITV)
“The benefits you get from being married to the narrator, ‘cos let’s be honest she’s not a great host.”
Murad agreed with Rachel and called it “straight up nepotism”.
He then stated: “I think she suits Countdown, I’m not trying to be rude. The Weakest Link. An afternoon game show at 2pm.”
Rachel, 29, responded to this with another jab at Laura and said: “When you think Love Island you don’t think Laura Whitmore.”
She then praised the show’s former host, the late Caroline Flack, for her “energy” and “love for the programme”.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
