On June 29 (local time), UK outlet The Sun and other foreign media reported that Gabriel Garland, a 24-year-old London-based model who had recently joined the Love Island villa, was forced to leave the show after new information about his past came to light.
Garland had entered the show through the “Casa Amor” segment but was later removed from the villa and confirmed to not be returning. Court documents obtained by The Sun revealed that Garland’s name appeared in legal proceedings related to a 2019 New Year’s Eve stabbing incident in southeast London.
At the time, an 18-year-old man was convicted of seriously injuring two victims with a knife after a party on Keswick Road. Reports indicate that Garland had attended the same party and was involved in a verbal altercation with the victims shortly before the attack occurred.
The convicted attacker was sentenced to three years and six months in prison, and his appeal was later rejected in 2024. Importantly, Garland himself was not charged with any crime in connection with the incident.
Following the revelations, the producers of Love Island confirmed his departure, stating: “Gabriel Garland has left the villa and will not be returning. We will not be commenting further for the sake of the islanders.”
The incident has sparked public debate in the UK, with viewers and commentators questioning the effectiveness of reality TV background checks. Many are calling for stricter vetting procedures to prevent similar situations from occurring in future seasons of the show.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스