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Love Island's most controversial moments over the years
A look at some of Love Island’s most controversial moments over the years across its US and UK editions.
Love Island, the popular reality dating show, has attracted viewer buzz for years now. Fans seem to share special revelry in watching attractive people make mistakes in their quest to find love while sequestered in a villa. With every season, comes a new set of eligible bachelors ready to woo their fellow bombshells. However, this romance comes with a complementary side of drama as well when relationships go bad, friendships turn bitter and some contestants react explosively.
Here's a look at some of Love Island’s most controversial moments over the years across its US and UK editions:
USA Season 2: Johnny Middlebrooks’ makeout session with Mercades Schell while being coupled up with Cely Vasquez
Things heated up during Season 2 of Love Island USA when islander Johnny Middlebrooks made the controversial decision to kiss fellow bombshell Mercades Schell. Seems normal for a dating show except Middlebrooks was coupled up with another islander- Cely Vasquez- when the incident happened. The added catch? The cheating happened not once but multiple times. Schell later opened up about the incident in a 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight after being eliminated from the show. “I think he's honestly in it for the game. He's super fake and I will be expecting him in my DMs, so y'all will know that,” she said. Middlebrooks and Vasquez managed to maintain their relationship for the run of the show but ultimately split in June 2022.
USA Season 7: Yulissa Escobar’s racist comments
Yulissa Escobar’s addition to the Season 7 cast stirred controversy when TMZ shared footage of her using the n-word in several podcast appearances. Fans flooded her Instagram asking her to leave the show in light of these revelations. Escobar ultimately exited the island in a June 2025 episode when host Iain Stirling announced her departure barely 20 minutes in.
Also Read: What did Cierra Ortega exactly say? Racism row blows up after Love Island villa exit
UK Season 6: Accusations of Ollie Hunter being a ‘trophy hunter’
Contestant Ollie Hunter stirred up controversy on Season 6 of Love Island UK when The Sun sourced images of him holding up and posing next to dead animals; a media fest that led to many people labelling him as a ‘trophy hunter’ and demanding his removal from the show. Williams ultimately exited the show on the claim that he had feelings for an ex, although many continued to be convinced that the online backlash he received prompted this move. Following his departure, he clarified his reasons in an interview with The Mirror by saying, “I had no knowledge of the stories until I had left the Love Island villa and all cast members are unaware of any news stories while they are on the program. My reasons for leaving Love Island are as communicated on the show.” Williams denied any accusations of being a trophy hunter.
UK Season 4: Zara McDermott’s personal pictures leaked
During her time in the villa back in 2018, bombshell Zara McDermott had to deal with nude pictures of her being released online. Although she wasn’t aware of the same until after she had left the show, she spoke about how the online backlash of coming out paired with this incident affected her. “‘I'd just gone through the biggest experience of my life. I just wanted to be able to live in the moment and enjoy my new life for a little bit and instead being reminded of actually how awful the world can be sometimes,” she said in a 2021 interview with Grazia.
Also Read: Who is Cierra Ortega? 5 facts about Love Island USA contestant amid racial slur controversy
Love Island USA Season 7 episodes are released from Thursday to Tuesday at 6 PM PT/ 9 PM ET on Peacock.
