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Iris and TJ back together after Love Island USA? New pic fuels fan theories
Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez recently revealed that he and Iris Kendall have broken up, after fans speculated that the former cheated on the latter.
Iris Kendall could be rekindling things with Love Island USA alum TJ Palma, fans believe, even as an image of the purported duo circulating on social media recently has added fuel to the fire. Photos doing the rounds online appeared to show the two, dressed in white, leaving a place together.
HT.com has not been able to verify the authenticity of these photos. Nonetheless, the excitement among fans has been palpable. “Iris and TJ rekindling things was not on anyone's bingo card for sure,” a person commented. Indeed, it was only some time back that fans were speculating about Iris splitting up with Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez. They alleged that the latter had cheated on Iris. Pepe and Iris together came in fourth in Season 7 of Love Island USA, but their flame seems to have died out.
While Pepe denied cheating allegations, he spoke to TMZ about the split, saying “We’re not together anymore, and that’s the way it goes. It’s a tough thing when there’s a lot of eyes on you 24/7. It’s stressful. Being in the limelight isn’t always the best thing in the world.” Iris too confirmed the breakup to E! News, saying “I had hoped to keep this private, but I’m so grateful for all of the love and support I’ve received since leaving the villa, and I wanted to share an update. The connection that I formed has ended, and while it isn’t how I would have imagined, I will always value the unique experience that we shared. It’s been a difficult transition, but I’m moving forward with hope, gratitude, and positivity for the future. Thank you for continuing to stand by me—your support means more than I can ever express.”
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Meanwhile, TJ – with whom Iris was partnered before his exit from the reality show – seems to be finding the spark again. The recent photo is just one of many recent clues that point in this direction.
Other clues about the TJ-Iris romance
There have been a string of steady clues in the recent past that have kept the rumor mills buzzing about TJ and Iris. An anonymous DeuxMoi tipster pointed to a potential reconciliation between the former Love Island pair.
“Just saw Iris and TJ in Tampa together at Whole Foods. Took a shitty video you can see him and then see the back side of her taking TJ’s picture with fans,” the submission read.
Prior to that, fans thought that TJ's Snapchat story gave away a clue. During a getaway to Disney World, he took a photo of a woman's hand holding up a pickle, and eagle-eyed fans spotted that the nails looked similar to Iris', StyleCaster reported. Another post on X suggested that Iris' laugh could be heard in a recent Snapchat video shared by TJ.
In July, too, TMZ had reported that Iris and TJ might be giving things a shot, since they were spotted together.
Though neither Iris nor TJ have officially confirmed if they're back together, Iris has spoken fondly about their time together at the villa. Confirming that she met TJ mid-July to clear the air, Iris had told People “TJ and I had an amazing connection in the villa, and it was real.”
