Viewers blast ITV for replacing Love Island with You’ve Been Framed after Caroline Flack’s death


Viewers have blasted ‘disrespectful’ ITV for replacing Love Island at the weekend with You’ve Been Framed in the wake of Caroline Flack’s death. 

Love Island will return to TV screens tonight after the broadcaster announced it had cancelled this weekend’s episodes ‘out of respect for Caroline’s family’. 

However, viewers were outraged by ITV’s decision to replace the 9pm ITV2 controversial dating show with silly slapstick programme You’ve Been Framed. 

Social-media users called the move ‘insensitive’ and ‘inappropriate’, with one thundering: ‘Let’s laugh at other people’s misfortunes’. 

Caroline Flack (pictured) was found dead at her home in east London at the weekend, while her friend 'popped out to the shops'. Her family said she had taken her own life, aged 40

Caroline Flack (pictured) was found dead at her home in east London at the weekend, while her friend ‘popped out to the shops’. Her family said she had taken her own life, aged 40

ITV viewers were outraged by ITV's decision to replace the 9pm ITV2 controversial dating show with silly slapstick programme You've Been Framed

ITV viewers were outraged by ITV's decision to replace the 9pm ITV2 controversial dating show with silly slapstick programme You've Been Framed

ITV viewers were outraged by ITV’s decision to replace the 9pm ITV2 controversial dating show with silly slapstick programme You’ve Been Framed

Social-media users called the move 'insensitive' and 'inappropriate', with one thundering: 'Let's laugh at other people's misfortunes'

Social-media users called the move 'insensitive' and 'inappropriate', with one thundering: 'Let's laugh at other people's misfortunes'

Social-media users called the move ‘insensitive’ and ‘inappropriate’, with one thundering: ‘Let’s laugh at other people’s misfortunes’

Another posted: 'Glad to see ITV plc replacing a show which uses the general public for entertainment with something completely different'

Another posted: 'Glad to see ITV plc replacing a show which uses the general public for entertainment with something completely different'

Another posted: ‘Glad to see ITV plc replacing a show which uses the general public for entertainment with something completely different’

One raged: 'if love island really wanted to show their grief, they should have dedicated the unseen bits show to Caroline. not you've been framed. how disrespectful'

One raged: 'if love island really wanted to show their grief, they should have dedicated the unseen bits show to Caroline. not you've been framed. how disrespectful'

One raged: ‘if love island really wanted to show their grief, they should have dedicated the unseen bits show to Caroline. not you’ve been framed. how disrespectful’ 

One social-media user thundered: 'I actually can't believe anyone at ITV thought putting on You've been framed instead of Love Island was a good idea'

One social-media user thundered: 'I actually can't believe anyone at ITV thought putting on You've been framed instead of Love Island was a good idea'

One social-media user thundered: ‘I actually can’t believe anyone at ITV thought putting on You’ve been framed instead of Love Island was a good idea’

One scathed: 'Surely there's better content in the armoury than two hours of that'

One scathed: 'Surely there's better content in the armoury than two hours of that'

One scathed: ‘Surely there’s better content in the armoury than two hours of that’ 

A Twitter user raged: 'ITV2 keeping it classy - replacing Love Island with You've Been Framed... come on now, really? There was nothing else?'

A Twitter user raged: 'ITV2 keeping it classy - replacing Love Island with You've Been Framed... come on now, really? There was nothing else?'

A Twitter user raged: ‘ITV2 keeping it classy – replacing Love Island with You’ve Been Framed… come on now, really? There was nothing else?’

Another posted: ‘So I hear ITV replaced Love Island with You’ve Been Framed tonight. Which is where a nation laughs at people who have done embarrassing s***. 

‘Honestly? Whoever made this decision needs to give their head a wobble.’

One raged: ‘So they pulled Love Island tonight out of respect for Caroline and play You’ve Been Framed? Bit inappropriate ITV.’

A Twitter user raged:  ‘ITV2 keeping it classy – replacing Love Island with You’ve Been Framed… come on now, really? There was nothing else?’

Meanwhile, other social-media users had hoped that ITV would air the latest series of Love Island, but dedicate the episode to Ms Flack.

‘ITV have cancelled Love Island tonight and replaced it with You’ve Been Framed?!’ one posted. ‘I would rather they show the show that Caroline Flack hosted for many years and made it what it is.’

And one posted: ‘If Love Island really wanted to show their grief they should have dedicated the unseen bits show to Caroline, not You’ve Been Framed.

‘How disrespectful.’

MailOnline have approached ITV for comment.   

Gathered around the fire pit in South Africa, the contestants find out who is with whom and who will be dumped in traditional Love Island style (pictured)

Gathered around the fire pit in South Africa, the contestants find out who is with whom and who will be dumped in traditional Love Island style (pictured)

Gathered around the fire pit in South Africa, the contestants find out who is with whom and who will be dumped in traditional Love Island style (pictured) 

Contestants from Season Six of ITV's controversial TV show Love Island (pictured)

Contestants from Season Six of ITV's controversial TV show Love Island (pictured)

Contestants from Season Six of ITV’s controversial TV show Love Island (pictured)

This comes as Ms Flack was found dead at her home in east London by her father Ian at the weekend, while her friend ‘popped out to the shops’. 

Her family confirmed that she had taken her own life, aged 40.   

Alongside contestants Sophie Gradon and Mike Thalassitis, both of whom died in 2018 and 2019 respectively, Ms Flack, who hosted five seasons of Love Island, is now the fourth person associated with the programme to have died of suicide.   

Yesterday #cancelloveisland was trending on Twitter, as ITV producers had previously come under scutiny for the aftercare given to contestants.    

An ITV spokesperson said last night: ‘Many people at ITV knew Caroline well and held her in great affection. All of us are absolutely devastated at this tragic news.

‘After careful consultation between Caroline’s representatives and the Love Island production team and given how close we still are to the news of Caroline’s tragic death we have decided not to broadcast tonight’s Love Island out of respect for Caroline’s family. Love Island will return tomorrow night which will include a tribute to Caroline who will be forever in our hearts.’ 

The 40-year-old presenter took her own life hours after it was announced that she would be charged with assaulting her boyfriend Lewis Burton, 27. 

It was claimed yesterday paramedics had been sent to her home the day before she was found dead, following fears for her welfare, but she was not taken to hospital.

Ms Flack was understood to be horrified by the prospect of a ‘show trial’ over an alleged assault and was worried she could not cope with the fallout. 

Friends said she was tormented over the idea of a jury being shown police ‘bodycam’ footage taken during the night she was accused of attacking Mr Burton. 

She had hoped the trial would not go ahead.

A court had heard last December how police had found the pair covered in blood and that Miss Flack had cuts to her wrist.

The revelations about her mental health prompted questions about whether she was given enough help to tackle her depression and panic attacks.

It has also been claimed by sources close to Miss Flack’s legal team that the Crown Prosecution Service initially decided not to charge her with assault, but senior police officers pressed for a charging decision, according to The Sun.  

Meanwhile, staff working on ITV2’s current series in South Africa have been ‘reassured’ on the show’s future and told their ‘jobs are safe’.   

Production have been told the show will not be axed amid claims its future was ‘hanging in the balance’. The summer series is set to go ahead as planned while ITV2 bosses look to recruit winter host Laura Whitmore, 34, on a permanent basis.

Contestants on the current series still have not been told of Ms Flack’s death. It is not yet clear whether they will be informed at a later date.