Love Island fans praise Laura Whitmore as the 'perfect replacement' for Caroline Flack

Fans of Love Island have already warmed to new host Laura Whitmore after the Irish TV presenter stepped in to replace Caroline Flack at the last minute.

Whitmore, 34, was announced as Flack’s replacement in December after the show’s long-standing host stepped down following an assault charge.

The show kicked off with Whitmore arriving at the villa and presiding over the series’ first coupling, which saw the new contestants decide who they wanted to pair up with.

Viewers hailed the star, who began her career on MTV and has previously presented I’m A Celebrity spin off show Extra Camp, for her “natural” presenting style and praised her for “smashing” her debut episode.

Others described her as the “perfect” replacement for Flack, 40, while unlikely celebrity fan David Walliams claimed: “It’s as if @thewhitmore has always been at the #LoveIsland helm.”

Ahead of the launch episode, Flack wished her friend Whitmore “good luck” in a message posted on her Instagram story.

“Massive good luck to Laura, Iain and the team for tonight’s launch show… the first one always the best one,” she said.

The show’s narrator Iain Stirling, who is in a relationship with Whitmore, thanked fans for their messages of support and praised his girlfriend as “just fantastic.”

“To everyone who’s got in touch today about #loveisland tonight - the support really does mean a lot,” he wrote.

“To be part of such a big show is such an honour. CONGRATULATIONS to the whole team and of course @thewhitmore who is just fantastic on TONIGHTS [sic] (yes I did the voice) show.”

Whitmore is also set to host Love Island spin-off show Aftersun.

When her appointment was announced back in December, the presenter revealed that she had “spoken [to Flack] a lot in the last few days since she stepped down,” adding: “She has been very kind to me and strongly pushed me for this role.

“I’ve watched her host every series and know I have big boots to fill. I will try and do it justice.”

Love Island continues tomorrow night at 9pm on ITV2.