Love Island returned to ITV2 on Monday night after a two-day hiatus following the death of the show's former presenter, Caroline Flack, who tragically died by suicide on Saturday. The show's narrator Iain Stirling delivered a touching tribute for Caroline, after which the episode continued as normal, focusing on the trials and tribulations of the islanders. While ITV has yet to confirm whether the contestants have been informed of Caroline's death, there has been plenty of discussion online about whether telling the cast would be a responsible or potentially damaging thing to do. HELLO! has reached out to ITV for comment.
WATCH: Love Island's tribute to Caroline Flack
Contestant Ched Uzor's mum, Maureen Uzor, told the MailOnline that she believed the islanders shouldn't be informed, as they will find it "very difficult to deal with" while in the villa. She said: "I think it's the right decision. When they find out what has happened they are going to be heartbroken and will find it very difficult to deal with. There is no reason for my son and the others to know what has taken place."
READ: What does the future of Love Island look like?
The show paid tribute to Caroline on Monday
Some viewers, on the other hand, took to Twitter to discuss their unease at watching Monday night's episode when it was apparently clear that the contestants were oblivious to the heartbreaking news. One person wrote: "It doesn’t feel right to be watching the normal episode of Love Island - knowing none of the contestants have been told about Caroline Flack - after a really moving tribute at the top of the show." Another fan added: "Crazy to think the contestants are laughing and joking but they have no idea of the horror that has happened over the past few days." A third person wrote: "Felt weird watching the rest of the show after this. Some beautiful words were said, and the tribute was perfect but just heartbreaking all the same. I think the #LoveIsland contestants have a right to know, I REALLY hope they get told."
The contestants are thought not to have been told the news
There has also been a discussion about whether Love Island should continue following Caroline's death, and while ITV haven't said whether the show will return for the summer series, they released a statement addressing the 40-year-old's death, which read: "Everyone at ITV is absolutely devastated and still trying to process this tragic news. Caroline was part of Love Island from the very beginning and her passion, dedication and boundless energy contributed to the show’s success. After Caroline stepped down from the show ITV made it clear that the door was left open for her to return and the Love Island production team remained in regular contact with her and continued to offer support over the last few months... Caroline loved Love Island and was very vocal in her support of the show. Viewers could relate to her and she to them and that was a big part of the programme’s success. We will all miss her very much."