Laura Whitmore comes under fire from Love Island reunion fans

Laura Whitmore has come under fire for asking Tasha Ghouri and Andrew Le Page an intrusive sex question on the Love Island reunion show on Sunday night. 

She referenced the beauty salon, which the Islanders used as a metaphor on the show to discreetly reveal how intimate they had been with one another. 

Laura, 37, looked visibly uncomfortable as she said: ‘I have to ask this question. Be honest. Has the salon been extra busy since you got home? 

‘I wouldn’t ask that but your dad raised it in there about the salon being open 24 hours, so I feel I can ask that question.’

Tasha, 23, put her hand to her face and giggling and said: ‘I think it’s fair to say, the full set has been done.’ 

Looking uncomfortable, Andrew, 27, could be heard saying: ‘Oh god,’

Pressing further, Laura said: ‘Are you happy with your day at the spa?’ 

‘Oh yeah,’ replied. ‘Quite a few manicures you know. I had to make the most out of it.’

Then turning to Andrew, Laura said: ‘Did you get the full treatment as well?’

‘Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,’

And Laura concluded: ‘Hope Tasha’s dad is not watching this.’ 

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Laura for comment.  

Viewers took to Twitter: ‘@thewhitmore asking the most inappropriate questions in the world. Is the salon fully open? Imagine if she was asked these questions!’ 

‘Why ask about Tasha and Andrew’s sex life? So out of order mind your business please.’ 

‘Me when laura whitmore asks andrew and tasha if the salon has been extra busy #LoveIsland #loveislandreunion.’

‘@thewhitmore asking the most inappropriate questions in the world. Is the salon fully open? Imagine if she was asked those questions! #LoveIsland #loveislandreunion.’ 

‘Can we give this salon thing up laura whitmore is too corny.’

In the past, Laura has defended herself against criticisms of ‘invasive’ questioning on Aftersun.

Last series, a viewer reminded Laura on her Instagram how she named and shamed journalists for asking questions saying: ‘If you’re going to ask people invasive questions based off tabloid stories because it’s your job… remember that when you name and shame other journalists who ask you the same questions because they’re too doing their jobs.’

Laura defended her actions saying: ‘I insist everyone sees the questions before they go on air and are ok with it. I believe in choice so nothing is ever asked without permission… that is the difference.’

However, Love Island spin-off show Aftersun sparked 427 complaints to Ofcom last month, citing the ‘slut-shaming’ of Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and the treatment of Jacques O’Neill in his interview.

Host Laura and Aftersun producers came under fire on social media for comments the guests made about Ekin-Su and George Tasker’s flirtations in Casa Amor.

The handling of Jacques – who has openly spoken about quitting the series to protect his mental health – on the show was also criticised after he was shown videos of his ex-partner Paige Thorne kissing Adam Collard.

Despite Ekin-Su, 27, repeatedly insisting that nothing had happened between her and George in Casa Amor, Laura brought up the topic on Aftersun and then mediated a conversation between the guest panellists.

Laura said: ‘Once again Ekin-Su swore that nothing happened with George and it seems Davide doesn’t believe her.’

As Laura burst into laughter, Tom Grennan exclaimed: ‘It deffo happened though didn’t it?’

Darren Harriott continued: ‘She said her head never turned but I think her hand might have turned, and possibly wrist.’

Instead of shutting down the comments, some viewers were disappointed to see Laura continuing the conversation, turning to Sian Welby to ask her opinion.

This angered fans who argued that the guests were ‘slut shaming’ Ekin-Su and passing it off as ‘banter’, with Laura receiving criticism for ‘encouraging’ the comments.

One viewer tweeted: ‘It’s shameful that a national network has so little awareness, and is normalising sexism. Aftersun especially was a disgrace tonight.’

Another pointed out: ‘Laura also crying ‘feminism’ when people said she only got the love island / aftersun job because her husband does the voiceover, yet encouraging everyone to basically slut shame ekin su… ? white women’.

A third echoed: ‘Let’s be real, the producers wont make them apologise to Ekin Su when they have Laura Whitmore basically slut shaming her on Aftersun.

A fourth said: ‘Appalled by @LoveIsland after sun @thewhitmore adding fuel to the situation about Ekin Su & George in such a misogynistic way.

‘It’s not entertaining when you’re making up shit for ‘views’. Don’t you remember Caroline Flack, Sophie, Mike?? #loveisland great stuff’

Others called the interview with Jacques ‘cruel’, saying that forcing him to watch clips of Paige and Adam was dangerous for his mental health after the ex-Islander said he had not been able to watch the show.

One argued: ‘Nah sorry that interview with jacques on aftersun was just cruel, could see in his eyes how much he’s hurting but show videos of paige and adam and then play him his ‘best bits’ but show him at rock bottom crying when he was leaving’.

A second chimed in to add: ‘The way laura is acting like jacques didn’t have a mental breakdown on the show and is pretending he didn’t come out saying how terrible the experience was is heartbreaking. she is so fake and has literally no empathy #LoveIsland #aftersun’.

And a third said: ‘How have these producers put jacques on THIS aftersun finding out paige kissed adam live?? AFTER HE LEFT FOR HIS MENTAL HEALTH #loveisland #aftersun’.

While a fourth said: ‘This jacques situation is being handled extremely poorly, laura is not qualified, let him rest and recover PLEASE. i mean f*****g hell if i can know this surely an entire team can.’

One fan came to Laura and Aftersun’s defence, arguing that Jacques likely wanted to come on the show and that Laura’s questions were ‘careful’.

They said: ‘Everyone saying Jacques shouldn’t be on Aftersun, but Laura is being careful with her questions and not making him feel worse when he clearly already does.’

But several made it known that they intended to complain to Ofcom about the misogynistic comments and interview with Jacques.

One viewer said: ‘The fact that ITV genuinely thinks it’s ok to make misogynistic digs at Ekin on live TV on after sun and then bring in Jaques for him to watch times where he was most vulnerable when he stated earlier he hadn’t watched any of the eps yet is so disgusting of them #LoveIsland.’

A second echoed: ‘Disgusting behaviour I’m sorry but love island posted on Instagram saying be kind but yet the presenter & Aftersun show really hating on Ekin. Ofcom needs to hear about this.’

Another viewer wrote: ‘I’ve made 3 complaints to ofcom tonight- about the men in Love Islands’ gaslighting and misogyny, about Love Island aftersun’s treatment of Ekin-Su and about the fact that Jacques is being subjected to grilling post leaving for mental health reasons. #LoveIsland #aftersun.’

A fourth argued: ‘You’re also choosing NOT to believe Ekin Su who says nothing happened. This has become a he-says-she-says situation.

‘And it doesn’t change the fact that Laura Whitmore chose to encourage slut shaming of Ekin Su on Aftersun which is Ofcom complaint worthy #LoveIsland’.

Another fumed: ‘Love Island deserves ALL the Ofcom complaints about this Ekin Su and George situation.

‘Not only because she didn’t do anything but because these fools on Aftersun are adding more fuel to the fire to the misogynist hate Ekin Su train’.

A spokesperson for Love Island said in a statement to MailOnline: ‘Laura is the presenter of the show, and part of that role is to pose questions to the panel and discuss events in the Villa.

‘We do not condone trolling against either our host or our Islanders and any subsequent elevation of these comments.

‘We had various measures in place to ensure Jacques’ welfare was prioritised at all times ahead of and during his appearance on Aftersun.

‘This included a full briefing with show producers to outline the show’s content and likely questioning, a conversation with Laura before and after the show was recorded, and chaperoning from both a welfare producer and a member of his family while he was in studio.

‘Should an Islander not wish to participate in the Aftersun recording, we would always respect that decision.’

A spokesperson for Laura Whitmore told MailOnline: ‘Laura’s job as the presenter of Aftersun is to ask questions relating to what is happening in the main show.

‘This is all that Laura has done on this occasion and suggesting otherwise is simply unfair and false.’

In the past, Laura has defended herself against criticisms of ‘invasive’ questioning on Aftersun.

Last series, a viewer reminded Laura on her Instagram how she named and shamed journalists for asking questions saying: ‘If you’re going to ask people invasive questions based off tabloid stories because it’s your job… remember that when you name and shame other journalists who ask you the same questions because they’re too doing their jobs.’

Laura defended her actions saying: ‘I insist everyone sees the questions before they go on air and are ok with it. I believe in choice so nothing is ever asked without permission… that is the difference.’

2,481 viewers also complained about ‘alleged misogynistic behaviour by some of the male contestants’ during the July 17 Movie Night episode.

In addition to the 2481 complaints received for the July 17 episode, a further 427 were received for the next night’s episode ‘related to alleged bullying and misogynistic behaviour from some of the male contestants,’ during a game of dares.