ITV2 pays touching tribute after Love Island's Sophie Gradon's death

ITV2 has paid a heartfelt tribute to Love Island’s Sophie Gradon who died this week.

Sophie was 32 when her boyfriend and family announced that the star of the 2016 series and former Miss Newcastle and Miss Great Britain had passed away on Wednesday night via a Facebook post.

The ITV2 dating show began last night’s episode of the fourth series of Love Island with a touching message of condolence to Sophie’s family and expressed their sadness at her passing.

Prior to the episode starting, the screen went black and silent, before a smiling photo of Sophie appeared with the caption: ‘In loving memory of Sophie Gradon’.

Her death shocked fans and friends, as Twitter paid tribute to her in a variety of ways.

Love Island alumni Amber Davies said: I am in absolutely in shock! @sophiegradon what a beautiful woman you were. RIP’.

And Geordie Shore’s Holly Hagan expressed her sorrow at having not long spoke to her: ‘@sophiegradon you were only helping me battle the twitter trolls yesterday rest in peace beautiful’.

The show’s presenter Caroline Flack also shared her heartache at the news.

‘So very sad . Such a beautiful soul …. such a beautiful smile …thoughts and love with friends and family @sophiegradon’.

A Northumbria Police statement read: ‘At about 8.27pm yesterday (June 20) police attended a property in Medburn, Ponteland, where sadly a 32-year-old woman was found deceased.

‘There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. A report will now be prepared for the coroner.’

Sophie featured on series two of the dating show and made history by becoming the programme’s first ever same-sex couple, when she was paired up with Katie Salmon, having also been coupled up with Tom Powell.

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