Love Island series 5 was a pretty odd year in reflection. The boys were pie-ing off the girls left, right and centre and landing themselves at the heart of many an article about gaslighting.
Maura Higgins managed to gross out the whole nation in the space of about ten minutes and then get everyone back on-side once ‘the real her’ came out.
The show has created more memes this year than you could shake a stick at and one other aspect of the show which was well and truly bizarre was Sherif Lanre’s swift exit.
Sherif’s brief stint on Love Island 2019 was the subject of some controversy. And now he’s nowhere to be seen again. During the Love Island: The Reunion Sherif Lanre – an original member of the 2019 cast – was absent. Even the show’s narrator, Iain Stirling showed up, so where is Sherif?
Love Island: SR5 on ITV2.
Pictured: Sherif Lanre.
Love Island series 5: What happened to Sherif?
Chef and rugby player Sherif lasted until day nine in the Love Island villa. It was briefly announced that he had left the show in a voice-over by Iain Stirling.
With a frenzy of rumours circling the 20-year-old, Sherif sat down for an interview to explain why he mutually agreed with producers to leave the show.
Sherif explained that he and Molly Mae were play fighting and that he accidentally kicked her in the crotch area. He continued to explain that he then turned to Tommy Fury and joked: “That’s what you call a c**t punt”.
He said: “We started acting out these karate moves. She punched me on the arm in a jokey way. I did not hit her back but at some point, I kicked upwards and caught her by accident”.
From ITV Studios
Love Island: SR5: Ep6 on ITV2
Why isn’t Sherif at the reunion?
Why isn’t Sherif at the reunion?
In the midst of all of the drama with Sherif leaving the villa, he insinuated that Love Island bosses could have been unconsciously racist in booting him from the show.
Now, according to The Mirror, ITV bosses have told Sherif “he would not be required because his contractual agreements with the show had ended”.
In an interview with The Sun Online, Sherif said: “But I want to go so I don’t see how ‘not required’ means that I am banned. I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye when I had to leave and I was looking forward to seeing the friends I made in the villa”.
Love Island: The Reunion airs on ITV2 from 9-10:35 pm on August 4th.
From ITV Studios
Love Island: SR5: Ep42 on ITV2
Pictured: Amber and Greg at the dumping.
What does the future hold for Sherif after Love Island?
By the looks of things, Sherif is less than impressed with the way that his Love Island experience went.
But on the bright side, his Instagram following has increased since being a series 5 contestant.
Sherif can be seen sporting BoohooMan clothing on his social media page. On one post from August 1st, he captioned the words: “Positive vibes ONLY” so it’s safe to say Sherif’s not after any more drama and the brand ambassador opportunities should be rolling in.
WATCH LOVE ISLAND: THE REUNION AT 9 PM ON ITV2 ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 4TH.