Laura Whitmore has clapped back at Love Island star Rachel Finni's claims she got the job hosting the show because of her now-husband Iain Stirling.
TV star Laura, 36, took over from Caroline Flack in 2020 and has continued to host the ITV2 dating show following the star's tragic death.
Former Islander Rachel recently claimed Laura landed the job because her now-husband Iain, who narrates the show.
Rachel, 29, also said Laura "isn't a great presenter" during a chat with Murad Merali in a YouTube interview.
Now Irish star Laura, who reportedly bagged a £500k deal to host the next series of Love Island, has responded to the claims.
During a question and answer session on her Instagram story, Laura was asked about the reality show's new villa.
Laura said she had seen photos of the new villa before moving on to Rachel's recent comments, calling them "horrible".
She said: "I'm not going to give too much energy to it because there'a always stuff like this and you kind of brush it off but I think we need to be careful when we discuss women and their work.
"I've worked in telly for 14 years. I won a competition to be the face of MTV and I just have stayed working from job to job. I've done incredible things all over the world, worked with the best teams but I've never got a job because of a guy that I've dated."
Laura went on: "It's horrible when you see it coming from other women because for so many years women have been talked about, you know, by who they're going out with. They're only defined by who they're going out with.
"Despite all the work and all the build up they've done leading up to that and they're their own individual person with their own experience."
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Love Island host Laura added in a later clip: "It's a shame because I think we're never really going to have full power and empowerment as a sex and we keep doing that."
It comes after Rachel's comments on Muras Merali's YouTube channel, where she said: "I'm kind of gutted Laura Whitmore is hosting it though, I thought we'd get a Maya Jama or AJ Odudu.
"The benefits you get from being married to the narrator, cos let's be honest she's not a great host."
Murad agreed with her and said Laura hosting the show was "straight up nepotism".
He added: "I think she suits Countdown, I'm not trying to be rude. The Weakest Link. An afternoon game show at 2pm."
And Rachel added: "When you think Love Island you don't think Laura Whitmore." She then praised late host Caroline Flack for her energy and love for the dating show.
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