Laura Whitmore says police told her 'get a dog' when she reported stalking

Laura Whitmore has revealed that when she reported being stalked to police, the advice she was given was to "get a dog".

The TV presenter shared how annoyed she felt not to have had her complaints taken further after a terrifying experience with a stalker, saying she was told it was all just part of being a celebrity.

Former Love Island presenter Whitmore, 38, appeared on Good Morning Britain on Friday to talk about her new ITVX series Laura Whitmore Investigates, with the first episode focussing on the rise of cyber stalking.

She admitted that it was only when she spoke to a BBC presenter for the documentary who was able to get a conviction against her perpetrator that she realised just how let down she had felt 10 years earlier during her own stalking experience.

Talking about interviewing the woman who was also targeted after being in the public eye, Whitmore said: "I was listening going, that's happened to me but I was told, that's just expected with your job.

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"There's a bit of me that's a bit annoyed with myself because I feel it's only now after 10 years..."

Good Morning Britain host Ben Shephard clarified: "That was a comment that came from the police?"

Whitmore said: "That came from the police. I was told to get a dog."

Shephard said: "You were getting these messages and letters and you were just told, 'get a dog'."

Whitmore, who has presented on MTV and taken part in Strictly Come Dancing, told how she felt a line had been crossed when a letter turned up at her house, which was when she contacted police.

Asked by host Charlotte Hawkins how the police reaction had made her feel, she said: "So angry but also stupid, because you're like ok, why am I wasting police time and you're kind of told to live with it."

Hawkins asked her how vulnerable it made her feel and she replied: "So vulnerable. And also you're not just putting yourself at risk, you're putting the people you live with at risk as well."

Whitmore is married to comedian and Love Island narrator Iain Stirling, who she has a daughter with.

Shephard joked: "You were told to get a dog, you didn't get a dog, you got an Iain Stirling."

Whitmore laughed: "I actually did get a dog, he's no use to anyone, he'll just cuddle people."

She added that she had had a late night on Thursday as she was at a celebration of Sinead O'Connor's life at the London Irish Centre, following the singer's death on Wednesday.

Whitmore said O'Connor had inspired her in making her new documentary series, explaining: "What that woman did, how she spoke about things and didn't bury her head in the sand.

"Growing up in Ireland in the 90s with her as an icon it makes me think if you have any sort of power use it the right way.

"You need to enjoy life as well but if I have the chance to talk about things then I will."

She added: "She made me so proud to be Irish. She was someone who spoke the truth and made you realise there was power in your vulnerability."