Love Island contestant Sherif Lanre is leaving the villa. According to a spokesperson for the dating-competition series, currently one of the biggest TV shows in the U.K., Lanre broke a villa rule, which led to his departure.
“Sherif had conversations with the producers and it was mutually agreed that he would leave the Love Island villa,” a spokesperson said in a statement to Vanity Fair. It is unclear which rule the contestant broke.
In a statement of his own, Lanre said he regrets his mistake: “In a case of poor judgement, I broke the villa rules and as a result agreed with the producers that it was best for me to leave the villa. I regret that I didnt conduct myself in the right way and, as a 20 year old guy, its something I know I will take on board and learn from. I really enjoyed my time in the villa and look forward to catching up with everyone on the outside.”
Lanre, a chef and semi-professional rugby player, was an original cast member of season fives lineup. He was paired up with fellow castmate Anna Vakili. The two were still a couple at the time of Lanres exit.
Each season of Love Island follows a group of modelesque 20-somethings as they live together in a villa in Mallorca, forced to couple up in order to potentially find lasting relationships. (For more about that, crack on here.) Episodes air daily. Currently in its fifth season, the show has become a ratings juggernaut for network ITV, inspiring copycat spin-offs around Europe; a U.S. version will also air on CBS July 9.
Lanre is the first contestant to be kicked off this season for reasons unknown. The fact that he joined the show in the first place was a rare bit of coincidence: in an interview with RadioTimes, he said he was scouted in London and courted by ITV just three weeks before the show began. “I got scouted on the street when I was getting food,” he said. “I got my food and turned around, and someone was introducing themselves to me. So that was a bit of a shock.” Considering how frequently Love Island producers cycle in new cast members, though, it wont be long before a new contestant joins the villa in his place.
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