Gabriel Garland, a 24-year-old model and one of the Casa Amor bombshells, has been removed from the Love Island villa after ITV was alerted to something in his past that was not uncovered during the show's standard background checks, according to reports.
Departure Confirmed by ITV
ITV confirmed to The Mirror that Garland has left the villa and will not return. A spokesperson stated: "Gabriel has now left the villa and will not be returning." The information about his past reportedly came to light only after the Casa Amor line-up was announced, though the specific reason for his exit remains unclear.
Despite his departure, viewers will still see Garland on tonight's episode as he enters Casa Amor for the first time. There are no plans to replace him with another bombshell.
Social Media Scrutiny
Following the reveal of this year's bombshells, comments began surfacing under social media posts questioning ITV's vetting process. One user wrote: "Love Island ain’t good at background checks," while another added: "Love Island gotta fix up their background checks." The Sun reported that these comments are linked to Garland's sudden exit.
This incident is not the first time Love Island has faced criticism over background checks. Previous seasons have seen contestants removed after past behavior came to light.
Ofcom Complaints Over Misogyny
Garland's exit comes amid a wave of complaints about the current series. Earlier this month, Love Island received 185 Ofcom complaints in one week, with viewers alleging misogynistic behavior from male contestants. Ofcom reported that the majority of complaints logged in June related to alleged misogyny towards female contestants.
Fans were particularly angered by Tommy's interactions with female islanders. Tommy, a builder from Newcastle, kissed Namibia and Ellie on the same night and later attempted to kiss Priya. Viewers expressed sympathy for Namibia, who was kissed by Tommy just hours after he had kissed Ellie. Tommy also told the boys he had his sights set on Priya.
Another contestant, Simba, faced backlash after being rejected by Mica. After Mica declined his invitation to the Hideaway, Simba was heard saying: "Now I’m going to look like a f*****g idiot, go talk to Angie and that." Mica later recounted: "He carried on venting to the rest of the group, saying: 'I’m f***ed now, so f***ed, oh my f***** days.'" Simba then stormed off to the bedroom, muttering: "I don’t even know what they want man."
Series Continues Amid Drama
The current series, filmed in Majorca, Spain, continues to air on ITV2, packed with drama. However, the class of 2026 has left some viewers unimpressed, leading to complaints to the independent watchdog Ofcom. The show's producers have not commented on whether additional measures will be taken to improve background checks or address viewer concerns.
