What did Cierra Ortega exactly say? Racism row blows up after Love Island villa exit

Cierra Ortega was removed from the Love Island Season 7's villa on Sunday after her racist social media posts surfaced this week

Updated on: Jul 7, 2025, 07:30:55 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Cierra Ortega was removed from the Love Island Season 7's villa on Sunday after her racist social media posts surfaced this week, sparking a massive fan backlash. The 25-year-old content creator from Phoenix allegedly used an anti-Asian slur in 2015 and 2020 posts. In the latest episode of the reality show, host Iain Stirling said that Cierra ‘left the villa due to a personal reason’. He further let her season-long partner Nic Vansteenberghe discuss his feelings and explore options.

Cierra Ortega was removed from the Love Island Villa on Sunday (X)

What did Cierra Ortega exactly say?

In a resurfaced 2015 Instagram story, Ortega could be seen writing ‘Still ch**kin’ at the top’, referring to her smile. The term, a derogatory anti-Asian slur, was used casually while discussing her appearance.

A 2020 TikTok video included: ‘I can also be a little ch**ky when I laugh/smile so I love getting a mini brow lift’, the same slur to describe her facial features in the context of Botox treatments.

The posts led to Ortega losing nearly 200,000 Instagram followers in 48 hours, as fans expressed outrage on X and TikTok.

“Cierra has been saying the same slur for YEARS,” one person pointed out on X, platform formerly known as Twitter. Some fans also compared her case to Yulissa Escobar’s exit for using the N-word.

After crisis meetings, producers removed Cierra Ortega. A production insider told The US Sun, “This kind of language is unacceptable… We had no choice but to act."

Host Ariana Madix addressed accusations of silence, commenting on Instagram, “Not silent. You don’t know what you’re talking about."

Ortega’s exit left Nic Vansteenberghe single, prompting him to stay and pursue Olandria Carthen, with whom he had a prior connection. The upcoming Casa Amor twist may shift dynamics, with Nic at risk of elimination if he fails to recouple.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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