Love Island contestant Gabriel Garland, 24, has reportedly left the ITV2 dating series after his connection to a stabbing in London came to light. Garland briefly appeared in Sunday night's episode as a Casa Amor villa boy before being removed.
Departure Confirmed
An ITV spokesperson confirmed to the Guardian: “Gabriel has now left the villa and will not be returning.” The broadcaster stated it will not comment further out of a duty of care to participants.
Background of the Incident
Garland was named in court documents during the conviction of Vitor Mazzer, who was found guilty of two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent over a New Year's Eve incident in 2019 in south-east London. According to court documents, Garland had an altercation with the people stabbed by Mazzer. Garland's mother provided a character statement for her son, who was 17 at the time. He was not charged with any offence, and the judgment made no finding of wrongdoing against him, which may explain why it did not surface in ITV's background check. Mazzer was jailed for 42 months, and his appeal against conviction was refused in April 2024.
On-Screen Presence
Garland was one of six Casa Amor male contestants on Sunday night's episode. Aside from his introduction, he did not appear in any major scenes and will be cut from the rest of the show.
Social Media Reaction
News of Garland's involvement prompted social media users to question ITV's background checks. The show is produced by Lifted Entertainment, part of ITV Studios, and WPP Media Motion Entertainment.
Other Departures
On 4 June, George Knight left the show for “private reasons” over health concerns relating to an immediate family member. Two Love Island USA contestants have also left this year's series, produced by ITV America. Alannah Keyser was removed after historical social media posts emerged appearing to show her using a racial slur. Vasana Montgomery was also removed for using the N-word in videos.
