I can reveal that after the current series of the ITV2 dating show ends, she will not be returning to her Sunday morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live. 3 Laura Whitmore has quit her old job as a DJ after landing a six-figure deal as a Love Island presenterCredit: Rex 3 Laura will not be returning to her Sunday morning show on BBC Radio 5 Live, which she has hosted for four yearsCredit: Getty The Laura Whitmore Show has been running for four years and in that time has helped boost her profile, but now she wants to make the most of becoming a household name on TV. A TV insider said: “Love Island gave her massive exposure and a healthy pay packet, and now she’s going to make the most of it. “Laura has already hinted that she has other projects in the works and can’t find time to keep up with all her roles. “So something had to go, and it’s sad for the listeners that that was dropped as it moves onward and upward.” Laura, who is married and has a daughter with Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, launched her weekly programme, simply titled The Laura Whitmore Show, on Radio 5 Live in 2018. He then presented the dating competition for the first time in 2020, which led to work ranging from commercials for Nintendo to becoming a captain on ITV2’s Celebrity Juice, a job he has now lost since the show was cancelled. Last month, The Sun revealed that during a combined 27 hours of Love Island footage on screen, she only appeared for 14 minutes – despite reportedly being paid £600,000. But speaking this week, he said: “They see you on the telly for ten minutes but they have no idea how much work has gone into it – especially with television. “Tele is so different from radio.” Heidi Dawson, controller of BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “Laura has made the difficult decision to leave after a wonderful four years. “We would like to thank her for the energy, insight and humor she brought to this program and look forward to working with her again in the near future.” Hmmm, I wouldn’t hold your breath on that one. . .
A WIN? YOU ARE SERIOUS
FRED SIRIEIX shouldn’t be expecting an invite to Gordon Ramsay’s anytime soon. But from the sounds of it, the First Dates star isn’t that desperate for a visit. The student-turned-Goggleboxer said he was shocked that their hit TV show Gordon, Gino And Fred: Go Greek had won a Tric award for best food programme. He said: “I was so surprised, excited and happy. “I really don’t know how we won it because everything Gordon cooked was too salty. It was very salty and Gino didn’t cook anything – he didn’t do anything! “But I was like, ‘Did we win the best food show when everything was too salty?’ Asked if he thought the trio should return the award, he said: “We’re not going to do that. We will have it, thank you very much.”
ZACK NO TO DATING
SOME islanders enjoy status when they leave the Love Island villa. Troubled Jacques O’Neill has already proved popular – and was approached by Celebs Go Dating following his exit last week. 3 Jacques O’Neill has already been approached by Celebs Go Dating after leaving Love IslandCredit: Eroteme But the lad has rejected E4’s £60,000 offer because he wants to wait for his beloved Paige Thorne villa. Zac admitted that he needs to “work on himself” after being branded a “bully” and a “gizzard” so he would be an interesting candidate for the agency’s experts Anna Williamson and Paul Brunson. A source said: “It’s very early days and bookings for Celebs Go Dating have only just started. “But an Islander always makes a great signing and Jacques is truly special.”
Bizbit
BILLIONAIRE Blooms is back for more on Channel 4 after its one-of-a-kind Christmas special. The four-parter, which airs later this year, will follow luxury florists to the super-rich as they dress a wedding in Venice, a £25,000 party and decorate the homes of some Cheshire Wags.
THE SIMS FAMILY REALITY
THE Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Sims and her siblings have signed a big-money deal to do a reality show on adult website OnlyFans. Chloe, Frankie and Demi quit the long-running ITVBe series last week and have set their sights on becoming the next Kardashians – for a cool £1m. The series, currently called House of Sims, is in pre-production and is slated for release in 2023. It will also star the girls’ brother Charlie and his fiancée Georgia Shults. The show, which will air on the OFTV platform, will focus on the Sims’ lives in Essex and their travels across the US, in an unfiltered documentary style. Chloe said: “We’re all so excited and can’t wait to show you what we’ve been working on. Watch this space – it’s going to be huge.” Looks like they could give Kim and Co a run for their money
