Love Island star removed from villa after 'involvement in stabbing'

You know how some Love Island storylines feel like they're ripped straight from real life? Well, this one's got me shook. A new islander, Gabriel Garland, has been booted off the show after it emerged he was involved in a past stabbing. Now, the 24-year-old model's a name we've only just gotten used to, but his presence on the show was short-lived. Here's the thing: show bosses were reportedly oblivious to this whole saga until filming had already begun.

Gabriel joined the show during that famously messy Casa Amor segment, but it turns out he was already a known quantity to the law, or at least, to the court system. He's named in court documents linked to Vitor Mazzer's conviction. And yes, that's exactly how I'm reading this, 24-year-old Gabriel, at a party with 18-year-old Vitor back in 2019, when Vitor stabbed two people in a London street. Now, I know some of you might be thinking, 'what about Gabriel? Did he have anything to do with the stabbing?' The answer is no, at least, not according to the source. Two victims did have an altercation with Gabriel before Vitor Mazzer took matters into his own hands, but Gabriel himself wasn't charged with a thing. His mum, Joanne, even gave a character statement for him in court.

Here's the thing: if a Love Island contestant is involved in a past stabbing, even if they weren't charged themselves, it's a huge deal. The show's supposed to be a fun, sun-drenched romp, not a platform for drama or controversy. And let's be real, this isn't an isolated incident. Just days ago, fellow contestant George Knight left the show early, citing a family member's health issues, but it later came out that he'd also used a slur, and was asked to leave the programme. Viewers are now calling for the show to get its background checks in order, and I'm right there with them.

Love Island continues tonight on ITV2 and ITVX, but for now, Gabriel's off the show, and George is gone. What's next? Will the show tighten up its background checks, or will we see more controversy down the line?